Support for Rape Victims
(Bolsover) (Con)
1. What steps his Department is taking to improve support for
rape victims in the criminal justice system. (903012)
(Aberconwy) (Con)
5. What steps his Department is taking to improve support for
rape victims in the criminal justice system. (903016)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
We have a comprehensive package of measures under way to improve
support for victims of rape, and I can tell the House that in the
last year, adult rape convictions rose by 65% over the previous
year.
I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. A constituent
recently raised with me concerns about registered sex offenders
being able to change their names while in prison, which causes
immense concern to the families and loved ones of victims. What
steps are being taken to ensure that, in such cases, offenders
are not able to walk away from their crimes?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I can tell and reassure him
that governors are under no obligation to accept requests for a
change of name. Public safety is the most important
consideration. When a change of name is recognised, probation
records are updated, police are notified, and victims and others
affected would also be notified.
I welcome my right hon. Friend’s answer. In particular, I welcome
the opening of a new rape crisis line offering essential support
to victims. Does he agree that such a service should be made
available across England and Wales, and will he ensure that it is
promoted across England and Wales?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right and I thank him for raising
that. It is critical for victims of rape across the United
Kingdom. The new 24/7 support line is available to victims aged
16 or over in England and Wales. There is also a steering group,
working with central Government and the Welsh Government, that
has oversight of the service. I think it is a great example of
what the UK Government are delivering for the people of
Wales.
(Rotherham) (Lab)
The independent inquiry in child sexual abuse highlighted how
victims are repeatedly failed by inconsistent application of the
victims code, demonstrating the desperate need for legislation.
Will the Government listen to the inquiry and commission an
inspection of compliance with the victims code in relation to
victims and survivors of child sexual abuse? When will the
victims Bill be introduced?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising that important point. She will
know that the victims Bill has gone through pre-legislative
scrutiny—I am poised to respond to the Chair of the Select
Committee—and it will address all the issues that she raises. I
hope that it will have the full-hearted, full-throated support of
those on the Opposition Benches.
(Blackley and Broughton)
(Lab)
One of the better ways of supporting rape victims is to ensure
that when the rapist comes up for parole, the families of victims
and the victim themselves are informed that parole is being
considered. In the case of Andrew Barlow—the so-called
“Coronation Street rapist”, who was convicted of many rapes—that
has not happened. The Parole Board is now recommending that he be
released. What will the Secretary of State do to ensure that in
such cases, the parole system works properly and effectively?
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to raise that case. That
notification should happen. I will take this up and write to him
afterwards. That support for victims right through the process,
including for the parole of the perpetrator of such a serious
offence, is important. I also gently say that I would welcome the
support of the Opposition when we introduce our parole reforms so
that we have stronger ministerial oversight of the release of the
most dangerous offenders. The Opposition cannot keep talking
tough while not supporting the action that we are putting through
this House.
(North West Hampshire) (Con)
The significant rise in the number of rape convictions is
extremely encouraging. As the Secretary of State will know, at
the heart of that success, and indeed of support for rape
victims, lies a new operating model: Operation Soteria. Can he
update us on how many police forces and Crown Prosecution Service
areas have now adopted that new operation, and when does he
expect the 100% roll-out so that we can see that kind of rise
across the whole country?
I have to start by paying tribute to my right hon. Friend for the
exceptional job that he did working on this issue in the Home
Office and the Ministry of Justice. The increase in rape
convictions—we are restless to go further—is in no small part due
to his efforts. I believe that Operation Soteria is ready for a
June national implementation, and Ministers in the Home Office
and the Ministry of Justice are liaising with all the outstanding
police forces to make sure they are signed up. Again, I thank him
and pay tribute to him for the work he did.
(Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
(PC)
Rhianon Bragg was ambushed and held at gun point for eight hours
by former partner Gareth Wyn Jones after years of physical and
verbal abuse. He was imprisoned in August 2019. Rhianon and I
called for his parole hearing to be held in public, but the
Parole Board insisted that the perpetrators’ rights override
those of the victim. In the meantime, appallingly, it turns out
that Ministry of Justice staff sent a dossier containing intimate
details about her, including a clinical psychologist’s letter, to
her abuser in prison over 10 months ago. Does the Secretary of
State consider that there should be circumstances in which a
victim can appeal a Parole Board decision to hold hearings in
private? Does he agree that this breach of GDPR means that it is
in the public interest for decisions about Jones’s release to be
held in public?
I thank the right hon. Lady for raising that very important and
sensitive case with me. I cannot talk about the details, but I
will write to her with the answers to the questions she has
raised. All I would say more generally is that she will know that
we had the first public parole hearing recently, which is part of
the increase in transparency that I have introduced across the
board, but in particular for parole hearings. We also have that
extra check on the release of dangerous offenders, particularly
murderers, rapists, terrorist offenders and child killers. I hope
it will have her full support when we come forward with
legislation to apply that ministerial veto.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Cardiff North) (Lab)
The Operation Soteria report on the handling of rape cases was
quietly released just before Christmas. It reports of explicit
victim blaming, botched investigations and serving officers
claiming sexual offences should not be a priority, and those are
just a few takeaways from its 191 pages. It is a dark stain on
this Government. We still have no victims Bill and no Victims’
Commissioner, so what is the Secretary of State actually
achieving in post?
I will tell the hon. Lady exactly what we are doing. We have
introduced a 24/7 rape support line. We have rolled out Operation
Soteria in the way that my right hon. Friend the Member for North
West Hampshire () mentioned. We have introduced section 28
pre-recorded victim evidence across all Crown courts in England
and Wales. It is precisely because we are driving forward
Operation Soteria and dealing with some of the challenges in the
past, particularly between police and prosecutors, that we have
seen a step change. What she does not refer to is the increase
since 2019, with an almost doubling of the number of police cases
referred to the CPS. She does not refer to the increase by two
thirds in the number of adult rape cases charged by the CPS since
2019. She does not refer to the near doubling of the number of
adult rape Crown court receipts. We are restless to go forward,
but she should not downgrade the efforts we are making, because
that can only deter more victims from coming forward, and I do
not think that is what she wants.
Mr Speaker
I call the Scottish National party spokesperson.
(Cumbernauld, Kilsyth
and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)
I thank my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow
North East (), for her fantastic work in
this role, and in particular on the defence of human rights. On
that theme, the former Victims’ Commissioner, Dame , recently highlighted the
dangers of the Lord Chancellor’s so-called Bill of Rights,
arguing that it would harm women,
“affect victims of violence against women and girls and their
ability to drive the police to do better”
and
“absolutely shatter any positive impact from the victims’
bill”.
Will he now listen to victims and their representatives and
abandon his plans, which undermine them?
That critique is total and utter nonsense. There is not a shred
of substance to it. The Bill of Rights will actually help victims
of crime, not least by enabling us to deport more foreign
national offenders. I look forward to bringing the victims Bill
forward and having support from all Members on the Opposition
Benches.
That answer completely misunderstands how important convention
case law has been in helping to protect victims of violence
against women and girls. Even worse, in various December
appearances, neither the Secretary of State nor the Prime
Minister could bring themselves to rule out complete withdrawal
from the European convention altogether, which would be a
disaster for victims. Is this a reflection of the political
weakness at the heart of Government that his ex-colleague O’Neill alluded to in her
article yesterday, or will he come to the Dispatch Box now and
categorically rule out the appalling idea of withdrawal from the
convention?
The hon. Gentleman will know that our plans for a Bill of Rights
retain membership of the European convention, but we have said
that withdrawal is not off the table forever and a day for the
future, and that remains the Government’s position.
Sentencing Policy: Rural Crime
(Shrewsbury and Atcham)
(Con)
2. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
the effectiveness of sentencing policy in reducing levels of
rural crime. (903013)
(Penrith and The Border)
(Con)
13. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
tackling rural crime. (903024)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has regular
meetings with Cabinet colleagues and others to ensure a joined-up
approach to tackling crime, including rural crime. Rural crime
has a huge impact on those individuals and communities affected,
which is why prevention, policing and prosecution are all vital
to tackling rural crime, which remains a priority.
I thank the Minister for that answer. I raise the question on
behalf of Councillor Dan Morris and Stuart Jones, who are both
farmers in my constituency. Does my hon. Friend agreed that rural
crime is often linked to organised crime groups who target and
exploit rural communities across a range of crime types, such as
organised plant and livestock theft, burglary targeting firearms,
fly-tipping and poaching? Sentencing needs to reflect the serious
organised criminality involved in these offences.
My hon. Friend highlights a number of crimes that particularly
impact rural communities—crimes highlighted in the National
Police Chiefs’ Council strategy on rural crime. It is important
that the courts have appropriate sentences available to them.
Although sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the
judiciary, sentencing guidelines are clear that offending that
involves a high degree of planning or that is committed for
profit, as is often seen in organised crime, will attract tougher
sentences.
Dr Hudson
Rural and wildlife crime sadly continues to affect our local
communities, from theft of farm machinery, fly-tipping and
vandalism to the distressing theft of animals and animal cruelty.
These are just some of the issues facing rural areas. Cumbria has
the excellent Cumbria farm watch and horse watch
schemes—partnerships between people and Cumbria police. What
reassurances can my hon. Friend give my constituents that the
Government are supporting the police and communities in the fight
against rural crime?
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the work going on in
Cumbria. I pay tribute to the work of the police and crime
commissioner and Cumbria police to tackle
rural crime through Operation Lantern. Alongside Government
investment in 20,000 more police officers nationally, we are
supporting the police through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and
Courts Act 2022 by introducing new hare coursing offences and
supporting the private Member’s Bill introduced by my hon. Friend
the Member for Buckingham () to prevent quad bike
theft.
(Barnsley East) (Lab)
Fly-tipping has doubled in Barnsley during the last year, costing
the local council nearly £200,000 to deal with. What discussions
has the Minister had with colleagues across Government to ensure
that fines and sentences for fly-tipping are a strong enough
deterrent?
The hon. Lady is quite right to highlight a rural crime that
blights both rural and urban communities, but predominantly rural
communities including mine in Leicestershire. We have regular
discussions with colleagues in both the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities about issues such as this.
I am happy to meet her in due course if she wants to highlight
any cases.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for his answer to those questions. Back home
in Northern Ireland the Ulster Farmers Union, in which I declare
an interest as a member, have regular meetings with the Police
Service of Northern Ireland to put invisible markings on
machinery and to have visibility on tractors. One of the big
problems is machinery from Northern Ireland and from the UK
mainland going down to the Republic of Ireland. Has the Minister
had any opportunity to talk to the Garda Síochána to work across
the border to ensure that those criminal gangs involved in
machinery theft are curtailed?
I have not had any direct discussions with the Garda on this
matter, but in looking at the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s
rural crime strategy I have seen the work being done in Northern
Ireland to highlight exactly the issue that the hon. Gentleman
raises—both marking and the challenges around farm machinery. If
he wants to write to me with further details from his
constituency perspective, I would be very happy to receive
that.
Backlog of Court Cases
(Bracknell) (Con)
3. What recent progress he has made on tackling the backlog of
court cases. (903014)
(Waveney) (Con)
19. What recent progress he has made on tackling the backlog of
court cases. (903030)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
In the Crown court, the outstanding caseload has reduced from
60,400 in June 2021 to about 57,300 cases at the end of March
2022. However, the caseload has increased again, primarily due to
the Criminal Bar Association action, which has now stabilised. We
are taking action across the criminal justice system to bring
down backlogs and improve waiting times for those who use our
courts. That includes such things as increasing our judicial
capacity and investing a significant amount of money across the
criminal justice system.
Could the Minister outline how he intends to reduce backlogs in
the family court, in order to minimise the impact on families and
children both in Bracknell and beyond?
The issue of family courts is particularly pressing because of
the impact on families and children. That is why we are investing
a significant amount of funding by increasing the number of
fee-paid judges, sitting days and judges who are able to sit, and
we continue to invest significant sums in family mediation
vouchers, to keep families and children out of the court
system.
The backlog in court cases is causing enormous personal distress
and anguish. My constituent originally in 2018 reported an
historical rape. The trial has now been postponed four times and
is currently scheduled for this June. I shall write to my hon.
Friend providing full details of the situation, but can he leave
no stone unturned in eliminating the backlog very quickly, as in
such historical cases, justice delayed really can mean justice
denied?
My hon. Friend raises a very important point. While I cannot talk
about a specific case, the allocation and listing of cases is a
judicial responsibility, and I can reassure him that the
judiciary continue to work to prioritise cases involving custody
time limits, as well as those involving vulnerable complainants
and witnesses, domestic abuse and serious sex cases. The
judiciary are incredibly sensitive to the need to ensure that the
most vulnerable complainants and victims get their day in court
as fast as possible.
(Hammersmith) (Lab)
The civil legal aid review finally announced last week is an
admission that cuts brought in by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and
Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 have left the civil courts,
which the Minister did not even mention, in a dysfunctional
state, with a third of providers out of business and longer and
longer delays in proceedings. The timetable for the review takes
its implementation beyond the general election, which is another
abdication of responsibility for the chaos in the courts that
this Government have caused. Should they not bring forward either
the review or the general election?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments. Reform of all parts
of the justice system is a priority, but within the spending
envelope that we are operating in, we have to spend the money
where we can get the best return for our investment. If he has
some serious options for how we could spend the money better, I
am all ears.
Dame (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)
Like the hon. Member for Waveney (), I have seen extraordinary
situations with cases of serious sexual assault where the court
case has been listed three years after the attack, in one case,
with the victim saying, “I just want to give up and get on with
my life.” This is a real challenge. Will the Minister outline
what he is doing to get more judges in place, which is one of the
brakes on this? When the Public Accounts Committee looked at
this, we concluded on the evidence that, even with the
interventions he has outlined, the Ministry will only be back on
target from where it was with the backlog before covid by about
2024-25.
The hon. Lady raises an important point. There are a variety of
reasons why cases can be delayed. It is not just about the
availability of the judiciary; sometimes it is the availability
of defence and prosecution. There is a particular focus on trying
to improve the number of cases that do not come forward because
they are incomplete and not ready, and there is a massive
campaign to improve the number of available sitting days and
courts, but the most important thing is the massive recruitment
of 1,000 judges for our criminal justice system.
Mr Speaker
I call Sir .
Hon. Members
Hear, hear!
Sir (New Forest East) (Con)
Thank you, Mr Speaker; it is kind of colleagues to respond in
that way.
Some months ago, the Government took the welcome decision to
raise the retirement age for justices of the peace from 70 to 75.
However, the question of reinstatement for those previously
caught by the 70 age limit has been left, I believe, to local
regions, rather than a wider cohort being allowed to go back on
the bench, even if they are willing to travel. Can more
flexibility be put into this system, so that people can be
reinstated under those circumstances?
It is my understanding that this issue is subject to the
oversight of the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice. I
understand that it is very firmly on their radar and that they
will use their discretion as appropriate.
(Walsall South) (Lab)
Has the Minister seen the Law Society’s five-point plan to get
rid of the backlog, including investing in buildings and staff
and properly funding legal aid? If he has not, will he sit down
with the Law Society? These people are at the heart of our
justice system.
I have seen the plan and I have sat down with the Law Society.
The Lord Chancellor and I continue to have fruitful discussions
to address the particular issues that the Law Society has
raised.
Mr Speaker
We now come to the shadow Minister.
(Stockton North) (Lab)
It is always someone else’s fault. I have listened to the
Minister trying to talk up progress, but both he and I know it is
not good enough. I can understand the anxiety in Government over
the failure to make any real impact—at the current rate of
progress, the backlog will continue into the next Parliament, if
not beyond. The Minister will agree that it is bad for victims,
staff and defendants and, above all, is a failure of justice.
What will he do to reassure our dedicated court staff that he
will get the disastrous common platform IT system sorted out?
Will he confirm how much extra taxpayers’ cash is being thrown at
the system to get it right?
I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that the common platform is not
a disaster. In fact, I have taken a specific interest in ensuring
the roll-out is appropriate and that users are actually
engaged.
Have you spoken to the staff?
I have spoken to staff, who said that yes, there are teething
problems—that has been admitted—but they are fully committed.
They understand that the common platform is a good programme and
will work. We are listening to the staff to make sure it works.
[Interruption.] The hon. Gentleman shakes his head. If he wishes
to revert to legacy systems that will collapse and make things
even worse, he is welcome to make that argument.
Criminal Justice System: Support for Victims
(South Shields) (Lab)
4. What steps he is taking to support victims in the criminal
justice system. (903015)
(Portsmouth South) (Lab)
20. What steps he is taking to support victims in the criminal
justice system. (903031)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
In May, we published our landmark draft Victims Bill and a wider
package of measures to improve victims’ experiences of the
criminal justice system. The Bill will enshrine the overarching
principles of the victims code in primary legislation, increase
oversight of criminal justice agencies’ treatment of victims and
enable improvements in the quality and consistency of victim
support services. The Bill will be introduced as swiftly as
parliamentary time allows. Alongside those measures, we are more
than quadrupling the funding for victim and witness support
services by 2024-25.
Mrs Lewell-Buck
The reality is that victims are not being supported. My
constituent, Mr Singh, is subject to identity theft. He and his
family have been held by Border Force, his immigration status is
in jeopardy, his family are being placed in danger and his health
records are in utter chaos. Various Ministers, Secretaries of
State and one of our recent Prime Ministers have all promised
action, yet not one of them has bothered to honour their word.
Will anyone in this Government help Mr Singh?
The hon. Lady and I have worked together on previous cases. While
I suspect that some elements of what she is referring to come
under other Departments, hence her involving the Prime Minister
and others, I am happy to meet with her to see if there is
something I can do to assist.
Only 1.5% of recorded rapes result in a charge, compared with
5.4% of all other crimes. Does the Minister accept responsibility
for this, and for so badly letting down victims?
We all have a shared desire to improve victims’ experiences,
particularly in cases of rape and serious sexual offences. The
rape review action plan set out the steps we are taking, and we
are seeing continued increases and improvement in respect of
total police referrals, receipts for a charge, CPS charges and
Crown court receipts. There is more still to do. We are ambitious
to go further, but we are making good progress and we will
continue to focus on this.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
I thank the Lord Chancellor for meeting with Claire, the mother
of Sharlotte-Sky, before the Christmas recess to hear about the
pain and anguish she has suffered through the criminal justice
system in order to get justice for her daughter, who was
tragically killed in Norton Green in 2021. As the Lord Chancellor
heard, the problem with this case is around the taking and
testing of blood when it comes to death by dangerous driving. Can
we have a review to ensure that blood can be tested regardless of
consent to speed up answers for victims and help police to find
answers to those problems quicker?
I apologise to my hon. Friend for not being able to attend that
meeting as I was caught in another meeting. My right hon. Friend
the Lord Chancellor has related that meeting to me, however, and
I know that he and we reflect carefully on the points made in
it.
Operation Safeguard: November 2022
(Eltham) (Lab)
6. For what reason he triggered Operation Safeguard in November
2022. (903017)
(Enfield North) (Lab)
9. For what reason he triggered Operation Safeguard in November
2022. (903020)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
There was an unprecedented short-term rate of growth in the
requirement for places in adult male prisons in October and
November, and Operation Safeguard creates a contingency to
maintain headroom should it be needed. Meanwhile, we press on
with our programme of estate modernisation and expansion.
I am grateful for that answer. The Prison Officers Association
says that the lack of staff is exacerbating the crisis in prison
places. The Police Federation says that Operation Safeguard puts
its members and the public in danger. Napo says that there is a
link between the lack of prison places and the workload crisis,
which is leading to an increase in the number of recalls. If
Operation Safeguard fails, where on earth will the Government go
next?
As I said, Operation Safeguard is a contingency that provides
additional headroom; we are not currently housing prisoners in
cells as a result of Operation Safeguard. The hon. Gentleman is
absolutely right to identify that physical capacity is one side
of the coin and staffing is the other, which is why we are
putting so much emphasis on recruitment and retention in the
prison service.
Napo has said that the insufficient capacity to hold prisoners is
directly linked to staffing and workload crises in probation, as
my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham () said. Does the Minister agree
with Napo’s view that there is a workload crisis in probation
services? If so, who caused it?
That is similar to the point of the hon. Member for Eltham
(). Of course, all the services
are linked, but as with the Prison Service—it is a fact across
many different occupations in the public and private sector—there
is a very tight labour market with high rates of employment and
low rates of unemployment by historical standards. Recruitment is
a challenge, but we are putting a huge emphasis on recruitment
into the Prison Service and probation, which fundamentally drives
workload. The other side of that is, as always, making sure that
we retain staff.
(Kettering) (Con)
I do not blame my right hon. Friend for triggering Operation
Safeguard—in the circumstances, it was sensible—but he would not
have needed to if the 12% of the prison population who are
foreign national offenders had been imprisoned in their countries
of origin. The top three groups are made up of 1,300 Albanians,
800 Polish nationals and 750 Romanians. Can we have more
compulsory prisoner transfer agreements so that those people are
sent to jail in their own countries?
My hon. Friend is correct that there are a large number of
foreign national offenders in our prisons, and facilitating the
movement back to their home country is important. We have had the
prisoner transfer agreement with Albania since May 2022, and we
are looking at more.
Backlog of Criminal Court Cases
(Jarrow) (Lab)
7. What recent estimate he has made of the size of the backlog of
criminal court cases in Jarrow constituency. (903018)
(Birmingham, Yardley)
(Lab)
8. What recent estimate he has made of the size of the backlog of
criminal court cases in Birmingham Yardley constituency.
(903019)
(Stockport) (Lab)
21. What recent estimate he has made of the size of the backlog
of criminal court cases in Stockport constituency. (903033)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
The outstanding case load in the Crown court in Newcastle upon
Tyne was 1,598 at the end of June 2022. In Birmingham, the
outstanding case load in the Crown court was 1,748 and in
Manchester, the outstanding case loads in the Crown courts were
1,271 and 1,259 at the end of June 2022. As I have said in
previous answers, we are taking action across the criminal
justice system to bring down the backlogs and improve waiting
times for those who use our courts.
The Minister says that it is not a disaster, but the courts
backlog has undeniably been made worse by the common platform
system that Crown Prosecution Service members have been taking
strike action over. It is a £300-million-plus IT scandal that has
been dubbed “Horizon mark 2”; workers at my local court say that
it is driving them to despair and judges have said that the
system is not fit for purpose. Can the Minister confirm what
cost-benefit analysis was done before making such drastic
changes? What is being done to tackle the fundamental flaws in
the system?
First, I do not accept the characterisation of the common
platform system. The hon. Lady forgets to mention the number of
legacy systems that were on the verge of collapse, and they
needed to be replaced. The members of staff I have spoken to
accept that, while all IT roll-outs have teething problems, it is
a worthwhile programme and will deliver benefits. If the hon.
Lady would like to have the full implementation and benefits laid
out in the business case, I will share what I can. On the ability
to address the specific issues raised by members of staff, the
programme team do on a regular basis engage with staff, and log
all the issues and suggestions made by members of staff so that
they can be resolved quickly.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Justice Committee.
(Bromley and Chislehurst)
(Con)
Every Crown court centre in the country is affected by backlogs,
which are rising to crisis proportions once more. The Government
rightly resolved the issue of the availability of defence counsel
by increasing defence fees, but now the issue is the continued
and repeated unavailability of prosecution counsel. Since our
system requires equality of arms—barristers of equal seniority
and ability to prosecute and defend—is it not important that the
Secretary of State and his junior Minister support the Attorney
General in getting increased funding from the Treasury for
equivalent prosecution fees so that we have a joined-up
system?
My hon. Friend raises an incredibly important point, and I share
his concern about ensuring that all elements of the criminal
justice system, whether solicitors or barristers, are paid and
rewarded appropriately for their efforts. There is a continuing
debate about how we can invest in the whole criminal justice
system so that it runs smoothly for all those involved, but
especially for victims. I am very happy to discuss the details
with my hon. Friend next week, I think, in the Justice
Committee.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Manchester, Gorton) (Lab)
While the Lord Chancellor is busy scrapping the Human Rights Act
1998, the criminal justice system is on its knees. The numbers of
duty solicitors and criminal legal aid firms continue to fall at
an alarming rate, yet the Government refuse to follow the
recommendations of their own review of criminal legal aid, which
has only worsened the courts backlog. What steps are being taken
by the Government to improve staff recruitment and retention to
ensure justice for victims and help reduce the courts
backlog?
I am very happy that the hon. Gentleman and I are meeting later
today, when we can have a more detailed conversation, but the
Bellamy report, which he alluded to, has been implemented. There
are some elements we still want to work on to avoid any perverse
incentives, but the investment this Government have made in the
criminal justice system of £138 million will in our view bring
the stability that he seeks.
Offender Rehabilitation Programmes: Effectiveness
(Aylesbury) (Con)
10. What steps his Department is taking to help offenders (a)
desist and (b) find employment. [R] (903021)
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
16. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of HM Prison
and Probation Service-commissioned programmes on the (a)
rehabilitation and (b) employment-readiness of
offenders.(903027)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
The proportion of persons released from custody employed at six
months from their release rose by almost two thirds over the last
year, and we are delivering the further measures set out in our
White Paper because we know this has a huge impact in cutting
reoffending.
I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. Key to reducing
reoffending is prisoners getting jobs when they are released from
custody, and key to prisoners getting jobs is having employers
that are willing to take on ex-prisoners, who often prove to be
extremely diligent and conscientious workers. What progress are
my right hon. Friend’s Department and HMPPS making to encourage
more employers, including other Government Departments, to
recruit ex-prisoners and so contribute to cutting crime?
I thank my hon. Friend, who has been a doughty campaigner on this
issue. He is right about the Government, who are a significant
employer and can show a lead. I can tell him that we have
committed to recruiting more prison leavers to civil service
roles, with nearly 200 offered or filled across Government. I am
pleased to say that, in the Ministry of Justice, we have offered
or filled almost 100 of those roles—not that I am
competitive.
It is great to hear that more offenders are finding jobs after
being released. Will the Secretary of State undertake to publish
the outcomes and success rates of all publicly commissioned
programmes to prepare offenders for work, together with an
independent evaluation of their effectiveness and value for money
from the evaluation task force, so everyone can learn what works
and what does not, taxpayers can see whether they are getting
value for money, and ever more offenders can get a second chance
to put their lives back on track?
I thank my hon. Friend, who is absolutely right to focus on the
data. We are doing this because it gives offenders a chance to
turn their lives around, but we also know that getting offenders
into work can cut reoffending by up to 9 percentage points, which
keeps our streets safer. We publish a range of data—there is the
justice data lab, and we review international evidence—and we
will certainly publish as much as we can on the Government’s
website so the analysis he talks about can take place.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
But the Secretary of State must know that staff shortages in the
probation service are leading to dangerously high levels of
workload for the existing staff, who are then leaving in droves,
creating a vicious circle against rehabilitation, putting staff
at risk and also potentially the public. It has led to the chief
inspector of the probation service saying his service is in
crisis mode. What is the Secretary of State going to do to break
this vicious circle?
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that the people who work
in the prison and probation services are critical to driving down
reoffending. We have an independent pay review body that looks at
these things, which we have supported and engaged with precisely
to make sure we get the balance right. We have increased funding
for the probation service by an additional £155 million a year to
help recruitment, and the reforms we have introduced since 2010
are working. We have reduced the overall reoffending rate from
31% under Labour to 25.6% under this Government.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Lewisham West and Penge)
(Lab)
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
To protect the public, prisons must rehabilitate as well as
punish, but under the Conservatives they have become colleges of
crime: offenders going in clean but leaving as drug addicts;
enrolment in rehabilitation programmes down nearly 90%; and the
percentage of prisoners released with jobs to go to halved since
2010. When will the Government finally get a grip, fix our broken
prison system, and keep the public safe?
I am afraid I do not accept that litany of spin. The fact is that
crime—[Interruption.] No, I will tell the hon. Lady what the
facts are. Excluding fraud and computer misuse, crime has been
slashed by more than half since Labour left office, violent crime
is down by half, and reoffending is five percentage points lower
than when Labour left office. On employment, for offenders
leaving prison within six months there has been an increase in
one year alone since I have been in the job by two thirds. We are
restless to go further. We have appointed all the chairs to the
employment advisory boards in 92 prisons, we have appointed 66
out of 92 prison employment hubs, and we have appointed 91 of our
92 prison employment lead roles, which are all going to get
offenders into work and drive down reoffending.
Convictions for Joint Enterprise: Racial Disparities
(Edmonton) (Lab/Co-op)
11. If he will make an assessment of the reasons for racial
disparities in the level of convictions for joint enterprise.
(903022)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
The Government recognise that convictions based on joint
enterprise appear to affect ethnic minority groups
disproportionately. However, the Crown Prosecution Service can
only apply the law when making charging decisions and plays no
part in the decision making on individual joint enterprise cases.
Data is collected on the ethnicity of defendants who are
prosecuted and convicted of a criminal offence, but not on
whether the crime was part of a joint enterprise. However, we are
considering whether such data could be collected as part of the
common platform programme.
I thank the Minister for his response but research by the Centre
for Crime and Justice Studies suggests that the doctrine of joint
enterprise is routinely applied in a racist way leading to many
miscarriages of justice. Assessing why it disproportionately
targets ethnic minority communities, especially young black men,
is only the first step; what is needed is urgent action. Will the
Minister tell us what he is doing to right historical wrongs and
prevent future miscarriages of justice due to joint
enterprise?
What I can do is confirm that the Government have of course
implemented many of the recommendations of the Lammy review. I
understand how passionately the hon. Member feels about this, so
I would like to sit down with her and go through some of the
specific issues she wants discussed in more depth, rather than
talk across the Dispatch Box; I think that would be more fruitful
and practical and I hope the hon. Member will accept my
invitation.
Immigration Courts: Waiting Times
(Erewash) (Con)
12. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
reducing waiting times for cases in immigration courts.
(903023)
(Watford) (Con)
22. What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
reducing waiting times for immigration cases. (903034)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
We are committed to ensuring faster throughput in immigration and
asylum tribunals to support the Government’s priority to combat
dangerous small boats crossing the channel.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the quickest way to end the
use of hotels such as those in my constituency as temporary
accommodation centres is to speed up the processing of
immigration cases and, when cases are rejected by the courts, for
the Government to act swiftly to remove failed claimants from the
UK?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is part of the solution,
and I am working closely with the Home Secretary on that. Our
aim, working together, is to eliminate the backlog of people who
claimed asylum before June 2022 by the end of this year. We will
support the Home Office in delivering that so that we can end the
use of hotels by 2024. Part of that is about the throughput, so
we are doubling the number of decision makers in tribunals from
1,270 to 2,500. Digital can also play a role. Overall, we are
driving forward that process to the ends that she describes.
Further investment in the immigration process is welcome.
However, last year we saw a stark increase in the number of
people attempting to enter the country illegally in small boats.
That is unsafe for those genuinely in need, unfair on those who
moved to this country through safe and legal routes and
unacceptable for the working people of the UK, including those of
Watford, who foot the bill. As one of the Government’s priorities
for the new year, will my right hon. Friend set out what
practical steps are being considered, including by the Justice
Department, to ensure that we have the most effective border in
the world by 2025?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. He will have heard what the
Prime Minister said about the five pledges, one of which is to
end the small boats coming across illegally. I mentioned what we
are doing with the Home Office to get the backlog down in the
immigration tribunal. My hon. Friend will know about the
Nationality and Borders Act 2022, and the Home Secretary and the
Prime Minister have also talked about further measures being
brought forward shortly. Of course, the Labour party has opposed
every single one of those measures. It is no surprise that, in
2010, the last Labour Government left a record backlog of asylum
claims. We are the ones fixing that mess.
Bill of Rights
(Twickenham) (LD)
14. Whether he plans to replace the Human Rights Act 1998 with a
Bill of Rights. (903025)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
The Government were elected with a manifesto to reform human
rights. We have published the Bill of Rights, and we will bring
it forward for Second Reading as soon as parliamentary time
allows.
The Human Rights Act, which protects so many of our freedoms and
basic rights and our access to justice, helped secure an inquiry
into patient safety for families at Mid Staffs and empowered
victims of the black cab rapist to ensure that the police were
held to account when those crimes were not properly investigated.
My constituents, the Secretary of State’s constituents and the
wider public do not want the Human Rights Act to be ripped up. Is
not the truth that, yet again, his shameful pet project to do so
and replace it with a Bill of Rights has been shelved by the
Prime Minister?
I thank the hon. Lady for at least giving me the opportunity to
rebut some of the myths that are flying around. The truth is that
the terrible situation at Mid Staffordshire was not brought to
light as a result of a case under the Human Rights Act. It was
the result of questions raised, campaigns and issues raised by
hon. Members in this House. Of course, nothing in the Bill of
Rights would affect any of the important expectations that people
such as victims and patients have. What it will do is strengthen
free speech and help us to deport more foreign offenders. She
should get behind it.
Topical Questions
(Wantage) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(903037)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
Since the last oral questions, we have published our rape review
progress report, which shows that adult rape cases charged and
cases received at the Crown court were up by 65% and 91%
respectively compared with 2019. We have launched a 24/7 support
line for the victims of rape so that we can be there to provide
the support they need in their hour of need.
Today, I can announce to the House that, by the end of March, we
will have installed 83 new X-ray scanners at 44 prisons to stop
the inward flow of contraband.
I have been supportive of my constituent Sharon Gaffka’s campaign
on spiking. She was spiked twice and has more than 1,500
testimonies of people aged 14 to 64 who have had the same
experience. Will my right hon. Friend update me on the
discussions he has been having with the Home Office about
punishments and prosecutions so that we can stamp this crime
out?
I thank my hon. Friend for his consistent campaigning on such an
important issue. He will know that spiking is already a criminal
offence with a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. The
primary barriers to prosecution that we have identified are
suspect identification and the gathering of sufficient evidence.
We are taking a range of practical measures to address that, such
as reclassifying gamma-hydroxybutyric acid—the so-called date
rape drug—from class C to class B, investing in projects such as
safer streets and the safety of women at night fund to protect
women, and working with the police to produce a forensic strategy
to ensure that we have stronger prosecutions and law enforcement
in this area.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State, .
(Croydon North) (Lab/Co-op)
There were a quarter of a million violent assaults inside prison
over the last decade. Last year alone, over 8,000 weapons were
found inside prison. Does the Secretary of State accept
responsibility for the fact that violence is now rife in our
prisons?
I do not accept that categorisation. What I would say is that we
have introduced a whole range of measures, from drug testing to
X-ray scanners, and we are now seeing enforcement picking up
contraband which, frankly, was not being dealt with before. Last
year, the hon. Gentleman criticised the funding we are putting
into X-ray scanners. I wonder whether he will now withdraw those
remarks.
I wonder whether drug testing is working, because drug abuse in
prisons has shot up by 400% since the Conservatives came to
power. Last year, crack cocaine was found being manufactured in
cells inside Sudbury prison. Rising violence, rising drug
abuse—does the Justice Secretary admit that the Government have
lost control of our prisons?
No, and as I announced just a few moments ago we are introducing
more scanners so that we detect, pick up and stop the flow of
contraband into prison, whether drugs, mobile phones or weapons.
We also have a step change in the approach to drug treatment. For
example, we have fewer heroin addicts dumped on methadone
indefinitely, and more drug recovery wings and more incentivised
wings for substance-free living. That is the way to sustainably
get offenders off drugs, and it also links in with all the work
we are doing to get offenders into work.
(Carshalton and Wallington)
(Con)
T3. Carshalton and Wallington residents are deeply concerned
about burglaries. I welcome the Metropolitan police’s commitment
to attend all burglaries, but will my right hon. Friend outline
what his Department is doing to ensure that those who are
arrested receive appropriate sentences?(903039)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I can tell him that domestic
burglary has actually fallen by half since 2010, and the
Metropolitan police’s operational tenacity is one element of
that. On sentencing, the maximum sentence is 14 years. That is
obviously an individual decision for judges, but I can also tell
him that since 2010 the average sentence has increased by nine
months, from 22.6 months to 31.6 months. There has been a step
change and an increase in sentences for burglary, as well as the
measures we are taking on police and law enforcement.
(Liverpool, Wavertree)
(Lab)
T2. The Government were supposed to respond by the end of
November to the Justice Committee’s hard-hitting report on
IPP—imprisonment for public protection—sentences, yet they still
have not done so. Will the Secretary of State tell us exactly
what the hold-up is and when we can expect his official
response?(903038)
This is an important issue, and I am grateful to the Select
Committee for raising it. We want the number to come down, but
the right way to do that is not to let out offenders who have
been deemed dangerous in the past based on legislation passed
under the Labour Government that would not apply now. Therefore,
we are taking every measure to ensure offenders can pass the
threshold and satisfy decision makers that they are safe to be
released. We will release the response to the report shortly.
(Aylesbury) (Con)
T6. This morning, Buckinghamshire youth offending service
received a rating of good following an inspection by HM
inspectorate of probation. The inspectors say leadership is
strong, that staff are skilled and motivated, and that,
crucially, feedback from children themselves is positive. Will my
right hon. Friend join me in congratulating Bucks YOS? Does he
agree that effective and efficient local youth offending teams
are crucial in steering young people away from crime?
[R](903042)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
I am delighted to hear that result and I totally agree with my
hon. Friend on the importance of youth offending teams. They have
been a great success since 2010 in reducing the number of
under-18s who are locked up. They are fundamental to helping to
put young people on a better path and stopping them getting on to
the path of incarceration and reoffending.
Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab)
T4. Women eligible for early release from prison are being
denied that opportunity due to the lack of safe move-on
accommodation. Many of those women are mothers and a safe home
would allow them to re-engage with their children. Will the
Secretary of State please look urgently at investing more money
and innovation in developing safe community accommodation like
that available through the Hope Street Project, to allow more
women across the country to benefit from early
release?(903040)
We are also locking up fewer women and that is right where it is
possible to avoid incarceration. We are investing large amounts
of money into an increased accommodation offer. I will absolutely
look at the particular project the hon. Lady mentions and am
happy to discuss it.
(Redditch) (Con)
T8. murdered his partner Joanna
Simpson. He battered her to death before burying her in a pre-dug
grave. This dangerous man is due to be released from prison in
November after serving only 13 years of his sentence. Will the
Lord Chancellor urgently review that decision? The family and
friends of Joanna Simpson are terrified for their
lives.(903044)
I thank my hon. Friend for raising the matter. I pay tribute to
her and to the family, who are very much in my thoughts. She will
know that we have an extra power, which we introduced in the
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022; it is quite a
confined power, but I will undertake to look at it in this case.
Of course, I would make the broader point that when we introduced
these measures to protect victims and the public, again, the
Labour party voted against them.
(Motherwell and Wishaw)
(SNP)
T5. Has the Secretary of State considered the effect of his Bill
of Rights proposals on disabled people and organisations, who
consistently use the Human Rights Act in their fight to ensure
that disabled people are treated humanely and equitably, for
example by ensuring that they receive the same health treatments
that are routinely given to the rest of the
population?(903041)
The hon. Lady raises a critically important point. Of course
there is nothing in our Bill of Rights that would impact on the
healthcare that disabled individuals or communities would
receive.
Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)
T9. Has my right hon. Friend liaised with colleagues in
Government with regard to amending the Data Protection Act to
ease the bureaucratic burden on policing and speed up the
administration of justice?(903045)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
We are determined to reduce any unnecessary bureaucratic barriers
that make it harder for our police, and our criminal justice
system more broadly, to work as effectively as possible. Although
I am not aware of any discussions about the specific issue that
my hon. Friend mentions, or about the section 29 exemption for
policing under the DPA, I am aware that the Police Federation is
doing some work on the issue. If he is willing to write to me
with more details, I am very happy to look into the matter
further.
(Wansbeck) (Lab)
T10. Figures unearthed by my hon. Friend the Member for Easington
() show that the Prison
Service has lost more than 99,000 years of prison officer
experience since 2010. That is startling. Is this absolute
failure of Government policy what has caused the current state of
chaos and crisis in His Majesty’s Prison Service?(903046)
I pay tribute to prison officers for the amazing job that they
have done—particularly through the pandemic, but also more
generally. We often pay tribute to frontline emergency service
workers, but prison officers in particular are out of sight, out
of mind. That is why it is so important that we followed the
recommendations of the pay review body. I can tell the hon.
Gentleman that since 2016 the number of full-time prison officers
has increased by 3,662.
(Bury North) (Con)
Despite IPP sentences having been abolished more than 10 years
ago, 2,926 IPP prisoners were still in custody as of June 2022,
of whom 608 were 10 years over their original tariff. Does my
right hon. Friend agree that many of those people are locked in
prison as a result of mental health conditions that they have
developed while in custody, rather than because of the threat
that they pose to the public?
My hon. Friend has raised the issue with me a number of times,
and I respect his view. Of course, we have repealed the IPP
legislation, but we are dealing retrospectively with the backlog
of cases. I can understand some of the issues that he has raised;
I think the right way to approach them is to ensure that
offenders who can be released safely get the support, training
and rehabilitation that they need to convince decision makers
that releasing them is safe. That is the approach that we take,
but I am very mindful of the issue and am continually looking at
what more we can do.
(Blaydon) (Lab)
Too many women and girls are victims of violent crime, yet the
Government have still not delivered the long-promised victims
Bill. They have also failed to appoint a Victims’ Commissioner
since last September. Victims need support and the Government are
letting them down. Why do the Government not prioritise
victims?
I hope I can reassure the hon. Lady: we are funding victims to
the tune of quadruple the level under the last Labour Government;
we will appoint a new Victims’ Commissioner shortly; and the
victims Bill will be coming forward as soon as parliamentary time
allows. I hope the hon. Lady will also recognise the 24/7 rape
support line, the increase to more than 1,000 independent sexual
and domestic violence advisers, the roll-out of section 28 and
the work that we are doing through Operation Soteria.
(Chelmsford) (Con)
My last meeting of 2022 was probably the most important, because
I met our police chief and police commissioner to discuss rape
victims in Essex. The number of prosecutions is rising but it is
still far too low, and one of the factors that put women off is
the long court delays. As more judges are recruited, will the
Government please ensure that they focus on rape cases, so that
2023 can be the year in which women who have been raped know they
will have access to justice?
My right hon. Friend is right. In June last year, we
announced—this is on top of the measures I have already
mentioned—enhanced specialist sexual violence support in three
specific Crown court locations where there is a high throughput
of rape cases: Leeds, Newcastle and Snaresbrook. As I said
earlier, we have already increased the number of rape convictions
by two thirds, and we are restless to go much further in
2023.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
Under this Government, an abysmal one in 100 reported rape cases
results in a charge. The Government say that they want to return
to 2016 charging levels, but at this rate we are never going to
get there. Labour has been calling for specialist rape courts and
legal advocates for victims. When will the Secretary of State
finally take the action that is needed to secure justice for as
many victims as possible?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising this issue, which comes up at
every session of Justice questions. In fact, the conviction rate
in rape cases has risen in the last year, from 68% to 69%. The
hon. Lady asked about specialist rape courts; I have just
mentioned the three specialised fitted courtrooms that we have
introduced in the areas with the highest throughput of rape cases
to achieve exactly what she is asking for.
(East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
In February, it will be four years since my private Member’s Bill
became the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration
Etc) Act 2019, obliging the Government to introduce regulations
giving coroners powers to investigate stillbirths. During Justice
questions on 18 October, I asked the Minister why nothing had
happened, and asked for a meeting to make progress on the issue.
Three months on, still nothing has happened. Why not?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
My hon. Friend is right—he has raised this matter before—and I
shall be happy to sit down with him and find out what the logjam
is so that we can move this forward for him.
(Slough) (Lab)
It is simply unacceptable that drug dealers are able to continue
to peddle their trade so easily behind bars. Last year, there
were 17,700 cases of drugs being found in prisons, an increase of
well over 411% since the Conservatives came to power in 2010. Who
exactly does the Secretary of State blame for this failure in law
and order?
The hon. Gentleman is right to raise the importance of checking
and stopping the flow of drugs and other contraband into prisons.
He should speak to the shadow Justice Secretary, the hon. Member
for Croydon North (), who, when we introduced £100
million of investment in X-ray scanners last year, said that it
was a waste of money.
Mr (East Londonderry)
(DUP)
The Secretary of State will be aware of the existence of public
spaces protection orders in some council areas. Is he also aware
of a scandalous event that took place in Birmingham just before
Christmas? A woman standing alone, quietly and with no protest
material, outside an abortion clinic which was closed was
arrested by police and asked what she was doing. When she said
that she was quietly praying in her head, she was arrested and
taken to a cell, and, while being questioned by police, was asked
what she was praying about.
I do not know the facts of that case. If the hon. Gentleman would
like to write to me, I will make inquiries to the extent that I
am able to do so.
(Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
In answer to Question 11, asked by my hon. Friend the Member for
Edmonton (), what the Minister seemed to
say was that he was willing to assess the racial disparities in
joint enterprise prosecutions once the data was available, which
it is not at present but which it will be in the near future. Am
I right to draw that conclusion?
What I said was that the issue was complex, and that I would be
happy to sit down with the hon. Member for Edmonton to go through
the exact details and the exact concerns, rather than addressing
such a sensitive issue across the Dispatch Box, so that we could
have a meaningful discussion and see whether we could find a way
forward to resolve the underlying issues.
(Wirral South) (Lab)
Five years ago, the Right Rev. James Jones reported on the
experience of the Hillsborough families. My constituents and I
are waiting for the Government to introduce a Hillsborough law
that will change the way in which justice is delivered in this
country. When will that happen? We are sick of waiting.
With regard to the independent public advocate, I am very
sympathetic and I want to make an announcement on that shortly. I
reassure the hon. Lady that we have been working hard across
Government to get the right answer ready, to be able to provide
her with the reassurance that she needs.
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
My constituent, a victim of historical child sexual exploitation,
has had her case postponed three times since she reported her
abuse back in 2019. Each time it is cancelled, she relives the
trauma that she experienced, and this has been made worse by the
clerk of the court saying that only important cases were being
prioritised. What percentage of historical CSE cases are delayed
for four years and responded to so insensitively?
This is an acutely sensitive issue and if the hon. Lady wants to
write to me about that specific case, I would be happy to look
into it. Of course, listing decisions and things like that are
made by the judges independently in those particular cases.
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
I have previously raised the case of a man who, after pleading
guilty to sexual abuse, was given permission to go abroad on
holiday. The Secretary of State asked me to write to him, but in
the response from the Minister, the central point of concern
about bail conditions was not addressed. Will the Secretary of
State or a Minister say whether, in general terms, they think it
is appropriate for sex offenders to go on holiday? I do not. Do
they?
I would want to put public protection first and foremost, but of
course it will all depend on the circumstances of any individual
case.
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
Speed is compromising scrutiny in the magistrates court when it
comes to the issuing of warrants to fit prepayment meters. In one
court, 496 cases were signed off in just 3 minutes and 51
seconds, including cases involving children, disabled people and
people experiencing fuel poverty. What steps will the Minister
take to ensure that magistrates scrutinise every single
application?
I appreciate that this is a sensitive issue for families and
people who can be very vulnerable. Obviously the judiciary is
independent, but I will raise those concerns with the judiciary
to see if I can find out the details, and stress the importance
of getting it right and not rushing justice.
(Hammersmith) (Lab)
What advantages does the Secretary of State see in convening a
special international tribunal to try offences committed in
Russia’s war on Ukraine, including the crime of aggression?
We are doing a huge amount to support the Ukrainian authorities
with domestic trials. We are also one of the large group of
leading countries referring the situation in Ukraine to the
International Criminal Court, and in a couple of months I will be
convening a meeting here with the Dutch Justice Minister and
getting countries together to ensure we can avoid any impunity
for Putin’s illegal and disastrous war.
