Sentencing: Dangerous Offenders Simon Jupp (East Devon) (Con) 1.
What steps he is taking to increase sentences for dangerous
offenders.(902196) The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for
Justice (Alex Chalk) To govern is to choose. Choices we have made
mean that the most dangerous offenders—the acid attackers, the
rapists, the knife-point robbers—who are sentenced to seven years
or more are required to spend longer in custody. The Sentencing
Bill goes...Request free trial
Sentencing: Dangerous Offenders
(East Devon) (Con)
1. What steps he is taking to increase sentences for dangerous
offenders.(902196)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
To govern is to choose. Choices we have made mean that the most
dangerous offenders—the acid attackers, the rapists, the
knife-point robbers—who are sentenced to seven years or more are
required to spend longer in custody. The Sentencing Bill goes
further: murders involving sexual or sadistic conduct will lead
to a whole-life order unless there are exceptional circumstances,
and those convicted of the most serious sexual offences,
including rape, will serve 100% of their custodial term in
prison.
I welcome the measures that my right hon. and learned Friend has
outlined, as will my East Devon constituents. Rapists deserve the
most severe possible custodial sentences. Will he update the
House on how sentence lengths have been increased for that
utterly vile crime since 2010?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that rape is an appalling
crime. In 2010, the average custodial sentence for adult rape was
six and a half years, and prison governors were required to
release offenders at the halfway mark. Today, the average
sentence is over 40% longer, and offenders serving more than four
years must serve two thirds of that sentence behind bars. As I
say, we are going further still.
(Chesterfield) (Lab)
For all the positive words from the Secretary of State, the
reality in our prisons is that people are being sent out, and the
prison estate has not kept pace with the rhetoric that we hear
from the Government. The Government are constantly sending
criminals on to our streets because they do not have the prison
facilities to house them. Is not the reality that we need fewer
fine words and more action from the Government to keep our
streets safe?
That is not a fair characterisation. The capacity in our estate
is much greater than when we inherited it—that is point one.
Point two is that we have kick-started the largest prison
expansion since the Victorian era: £4 billion has been allocated,
and we have opened His Majesty’s Prison Fosse Way and HMP Five
Wells. HMP Millsike will open next year; we have planning
permission for Gartree and Grendon Springhill, and we also have
more spaces—rapid deployment cells and so on—coming on at
Liverpool, Birmingham and Norwich. We believe that those who
commit the most appalling crimes should be locked up for longer.
As I say, it was wrong that, in 2010, rapists would be
automatically released at the halfway mark. We are the Government
who are putting that right.
Sir (South Swindon) (Con)
I commend my right hon. and learned Friend for building on the
work that he and I did together to ensure that the most dangerous
and serious offenders spend longer behind bars. The consultation
on sentencing in cases of murder concluded a few weeks ago. When
can we reasonably expect a response on that sensitive and
important issue?
My right hon. and learned Friend is absolutely right to say that
it is a sensitive issue. As he knows from practice, those who
commit the offence of murder outside, using a knife that is
brought to the scene, can expect a starting point of 25 years.
However, as the Gould and Devey families have made so powerfully
clear, where the crime takes place inside the home, there are
very difficult sentencing decisions for judges. The consultation
has ended, and I pay tribute to the Under-Secretary of State for
Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (), who has spoken to a number
of people about it, as indeed have I. We will respond in the
coming weeks, but this matter requires careful thought. I pay
tribute to my right hon. and learned Friend for his work on
it.
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(LD)
Barnaby Webber from Taunton was described by his family as an
“extraordinary ordinary person”. His killer was found guilty of
manslaughter, rather than murder, on the basis of being subject
to paranoid schizophrenia. Barnaby’s mother, Emma Webber, says it
is “abhorrent” that murder charges were not pursued against her
son’s killer. Will the Secretary of State consider
re-categorising homicide laws to introduce first-degree and
second-degree murder?
There is nothing I could say from this Dispatch Box that would
put right the horror that the poor families of Barnaby Webber,
Grace O’Malley-Kumar and suffered in those appalling attacks from Valdo
Calocane. The law of homicide has been considered greatly—in
fact, as a Back Bencher, I led a debate on the issue of
first-degree and second-degree murder. It is of course something
that we keep under careful consideration; there is complexity to
it, but it is certainly a matter that we will consider.
Cremation: Legislation
(Bosworth) (Con)
2. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of legislation on
cremation.(902197)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
The law on cremation has been updated when needed. For example,
the 2008 cremation regulations are currently being amended as
part of the ongoing death certification reform. However, the
primary legislation on cremation dates back to 1902, and in the
light of developments since then, I believe that a more
comprehensive review is needed. That is why the Law Commission
has agreed to consider the law governing cremation as part of its
project on burial, cremation and new funerary methods. That
project has commenced, and we await its findings with
interest.
Dr Evans
I am grateful for the Minister’s answer. Obviously, given what is
going on in Hull, there are great concerns. I know that the
Minister cannot speak directly about that issue because of the
investigation, but there is no formal regulation of funeral
directors on these issues. Joseph Barsby, the managing director
at G. Seller—a much-loved local funeral director that is at the
forefront of funeral facilities in Hinckley—is very concerned,
because G. Seller wants to lead, not be tarnished by being sucked
into problems in the industry. Will the Minister meet with Joseph
to discuss ways in which we can improve the system? Failing that,
will there be a way for funeral directors to feed in information
and ideas on how to improve the system?
My hon. Friend makes a very good point. The Department has
already started work on a call for evidence on where we go with
the regulation of the funeral director sector; that will be
issued shortly. I am more than happy to ensure that the views of
any funeral director are fed in, and, of course, to meet with the
firm in his constituency.
(Kingston upon Hull West and
Hessle) (Lab)
I thank the Minister for the productive and supportive way that
he has engaged with me on the appalling situation with Legacy
funeral directors in Hull. I am utterly committed to regulating
this industry and never again allowing that appalling,
heartbreaking situation to be repeated. I have heard the
Minister’s response to the hon. Member for Bosworth (Dr Evans),
but could he speak a little bit more about timeframes? Does he
agree that in the interval before statutory regulation comes in,
we should encourage all funeral directors to subject themselves
to voluntary regulation by one of the trade bodies, and to do
everything they can to reassure the public that not all funeral
directors are in a situation like the appalling situation that we
have had in my constituency?
If I may return the compliment, the hon. Lady has handled this
appalling incident in her constituency with a great deal of
skill. I am committed to working with her and the Under-Secretary
of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, my hon.
Friend the Member for North Dorset (), who is leading on some of the
initial responses, alongside the local authority. The call for
evidence on where we go on regulation will commence in the next
few months; the decision, of course, will have to wait for the
public consultation. This afternoon, I am meeting the two major
trade bodies to discuss how they can assist with voluntary
inspections, to ensure that after this terrible incident—what has
been happening is quite horrific—which nobody thought could
occur, we get this right, so that people have confidence in the
vast majority of funeral directors, who are entirely respectable
and treat the deceased with the respect and care that we would
expect.
Reducing Reoffending
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con)
3. What steps he is taking to reduce reoffending.(902198)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
Reducing reoffending is a core mission of this Government. That
is why, for example, we rolled out the genuinely transformational
policy of 12 weeks’ guaranteed accommodation for offenders on
release, and it is why we have invested heavily in employment;
there are prison employment leads in every resettlement prison.
The plan is working: the reoffending rate has fallen
significantly since 2010, from 31% to 25%, and in the two years
to March 2023, the proportion of prison leavers in employment six
months after release more than doubled.
I am grateful to my right hon. and learned Friend for his answer.
He may be aware that the Welsh Affairs Committee has recently
heard from businesses such as Timpson and Williams Homes about
the work being done to train and recruit prisoners in Wales.
While there was a lot of praise for the New Futures Network,
which brokers partnerships between employers and prisons, what is
being done to expand the number of release on temporary licence
schemes? As we have heard, they are really important for
improving employability and giving prisoners a better chance of
holding down a job when they get out of the gate.
I thank my right hon. Friend for the interest he is showing in
this issue. He is absolutely right to pay tribute to the New
Futures Network, which does exceptional work in custody. Of
course, it is very often able to liaise with employment advisory
boards—local business people in the area—to ensure that prisoners
are trained in the skills that they need for jobs in that area.
When I went to HMP Berwyn, which is of course in Wales, one of
the things that I was so impressed by is that its employment hub
has a video suite, so that prisoners can be interviewed by
employers on the outside. On my right hon. Friend’s point about
ROTL, that is something that prison governors keep under review.
Certainly in the right cases, where ROTL is safe for the public,
it can be a useful tool to ensure that prisoners are
rehabilitated and get into work, so that they can be law-abiding
citizens in the future.
(Halton) (Lab)
The Secretary of State will know that one of the ways to reduce
reoffending is to break the cycle of drug misuse. The problem of
course is that in too many prisons there is a high incidence of
drugs getting in, so what is he doing to reduce the amount of
drugs in our prisons?
The hon. Member is right: it is of course really important that
we tackle drugs coming into prisons. We have rolled out £100
million in prison gate security, to ensure that there is
airport-style security. There are scanners, including body
scanners with very high resolution, so that people coming into
jails can be scanned for illicit contraband that may be being
transported internally; that is important. We are also rolling
out additional technology that can scan mail for psychoactive
substances impregnated into the paper. That is just one of a
suite of measures that we are taking—plus there are the drug
abstinence wings.
May I take this opportunity to say that I misspoke earlier? Ian
Coates was the third victim of the Nottingham attacks.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Justice Committee, KC.
(Bromley and Chislehurst)
(Con)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I welcome my right hon. and learned
Friend’s comments about the progress made on tackling
reoffending, but he will be aware that it remains stubbornly
high. We are in an unfortunate position: we imprison more people
than most of our neighbours in Europe, but still have higher
rates of reoffending. Does that not posit the fact that we need
to make more intelligent use of prison, and of alternatives to
custody, as parts of a joined-up system? Would he agree that the
Sentencing Bill is particularly valuable in this regard, and can
we hope for its swift return to the House?
I thank my hon. and learned Friend for his excellent point. He
says something with which I passionately agree: strip out the
emotion and follow the evidence. The evidence shows that there
are tools available to this generation of politicians that were
not necessarily available 10 or 15 years ago. I am talking not
just about GPS tags, which we have doubled, but alcohol tags,
with which there is a 97% compliance rate. The reoffending rate
among those who live with the sword of Damocles hanging over them
can be much lower than for those who spend a short time in
custody.
Mr Speaker
As it was his birthday yesterday, I call .
(Strangford) (DUP)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. You are never going to let me forget about
my birthday.
I very much thank the Secretary of State for his answers, and for
his very clear commitment to physical and skills training. The
other important issue is education. If we keep people’s minds and
bodies active, they will not wish to offend when they leave
prison, so what is being done to help, educationally? Will the
Secretary of State share the ideas he clearly has with the
equivalent Minister in Northern Ireland?
Absolutely. Importantly, we are rolling out a prison education
service, with a considerable sum of money—about £150 million a
year, which is significant. However, it is critical to have
tie-up between the local employment advisory boards, liaising
with the governor, and the New Futures Network to ensure that the
education provided is tailored to the jobs on the outside. People
are being assisted with literacy, for example, so that they can
do jobs in hospitality, kitchens or horticulture. Education works
when it is tailored to job opportunities on the outside. That is
how we get prisoners motivated and engaged—and yes, I am happy to
engage in the way that the hon. Member proposes.
Lasting Power of Attorney Agreements
(Leeds North East)
(Lab)
4. What steps he is taking to prevent the potential abuse of
lasting power of attorney agreements.(902199)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
When an LPA application is submitted, there is a statutory
four-week waiting period before the LPA can be registered, during
which objections can be lodged. As for registered LPAs, any
concerns about an attorney abusing one can be reported to the
Office of the Public Guardian, which will investigate. As part of
the modernisation of LPAs following the passage of the Powers of
Attorney Act 2023, new identity verification processes will be
introduced to further strengthen the system.
More than 6 million people in Britain have lasting power of
attorney agreements. I have been inundated recently with so many
harrowing stories from across the country of abusers targeting
elderly people and stealing their estate from under their nose.
Will the Minister ensure that a proper medical assessment is
carried out before an LPA is activated, and that the digitisation
of LPAs does not lead to families losing their loved one’s estate
to unscrupulous abusers?
The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, and I am more than happy
to take that away and write to him about the steps we take to
ensure that that level of check is in place. I reassure the House
that people can check the “use a lasting power of attorney”
service on gov.uk to see where LPAs have been issued, and whether
one has been issued without their knowledge.
Secure Youth Estate: Violence
(Cardiff South and Penarth)
(Lab/Co-op)
5. What steps he is taking to reduce violence in the secure youth
estate.(902200)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
The number of children in custody has fallen by nearly 70% in the
last decade, but that means that those in custody are more
complex; 71% of them are detained for violent offences. Although
the rate of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults declined by 7% between
July and September 2023, compared with the same period in 2022,
the rate of assaults on staff increased. That is why all sites
have a safety strategy reflecting local drivers of violence. That
includes tackling the use of weapons, and training staff in
conflict resolution. Much has been done, but there continues to
be more to do, and we remain focused on doing it.
Those strategies are clearly not working. There were 320 assaults
on staff between July and September 2023, of which 24 were
serious. That is a 9% increase, year on year, in assaults in the
children and young people’s estate. When will the Minister put in
place a proper plan to cut violence in the youth estate and keep
staff safe?
The plan we have put in place is working, but there is more to
do. The hon. Gentleman highlighted statistics that, as he will
accept, I acknowledged from the Dispatch Box. We believe that our
approach to tackling violence and to conflict resolution in our
youth estate is right, and we will continue to press forward with
it to reduce rates of assault on our hard-working and dedicated
prison officers and staff.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Lewisham East) (Lab)
The Government have decided to change the use of Cookham Wood
youth offender institution to an adult prison. That follows a
lack of progress in improving young people’s access to education,
and increased violence on the prison estate. The behaviour
management method of keeping young people in their cells has
failed. This decision puts a spotlight on the wider crisis in
adult prisons. When the young people are transferred, how will
the Minister ensure that the practice of keeping them in their
cells, and the cycle of violence, will end?
I am grateful to the shadow Minister for her question about
Cookham Wood. As she will be aware, a number of specific local
factors at work in Cookham Wood led to the urgent notification,
and the challenges in addressing that. As for those young people
and their transfer to other institutions, a number of them will
be released before Cookham Wood closes. Those still in custody
will be assessed individually, and they and their families will
be engaged with to ensure that they are placed in institutions
that are best suited to their needs, and that give them the
greatest opportunity to progress and make positive life choices
for when they are released.
It is a shame that the Minister did not address the violence
specifically. Violence is a challenge across the youth estate,
not just at Cookham Wood. Recently, a girl with challenging
behaviours and complex needs at Wetherby YOI was restrained and
then stripped—not once, but twice—by male officers. In the
context of rising violence and extreme self-harm, does the
Minister believe that is acceptable, and what alternative
provision does he have in mind other than the Keppel unit in
Wetherby YOI?
I did address the point about violence on the estate in response
to the original question from the hon. Member for Cardiff South
and Penarth (). The hon. Lady asked
specifically about a case highlighted by the chief inspector of
prisons in his recent report.What happened there was clearly
against policy. It was clearly wrong and concerning, but I do
have to correct her: the individual involved was at no point
strip-searched. That was inaccurate reporting. At all times, the
modesty of the individual was protected with a blanket, so I am
afraid that what was said in reporting that it was a strip search
is not correct. Clothes were removed under a blanket in order to
protect life where there was imminent risk to it. Those officers
made a difficult decision in the circumstances to protect life.
It is right that we look into the specifics of what happened, as
my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and I have
done. I think we just need to be a little cautious at this point
about accepting everything that was reported as fact.
Violence against Prison Officers
(Ogmore) (Lab)
6. What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of
violence against prison officers.(902201)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
All assaults on prison staff are utterly unacceptable. That is
why we have taken steps to protect our staff. I put on record
something that I suspect those on both sides of the House share,
which is our gratitude to all those who work in our prisons. To
protect staff, we have rolled out PAVA—pelargonic acid
vanillylamide—spray in adult male prisons, and body-worn video
cameras. The maximum penalty for those who assault prison
officers has been doubled, and we have completed our £100 million
security investment programme to clamp down on the illicit items
that fuel prison violence. The rate of assaults on staff in the
12 months to September 2023 was 10% lower than in the 12 months
to September 2019—before the pandemic—but it is still far too
high.
I know the Minister cares about this issue and wants to see
solutions for how we protect prison officers across the prison
estate, but according to the Prison Officers Association and the
Community union, serious offences against prison officers are up
10% on last year. Some 750 of those assaults are deemed to be
serious, and 23 attacks are being recorded every day on the
prison estate across England and Wales. There are huge concerns
about overcrowding. The level of prison officers is 10% lower
than in 2010. It is positive to hear the Secretary of State
talking about opening new prisons, but if there are no prison
officers to work there, how will we resolve these issues? More
worryingly, prison officers are taking to the media to say that
they are frightened for their lives to work on the prison estate.
I do not think the plan is working. I believe the Minister wants
to fix it, but what is the next plan to resolve things and ensure
that prison officers remain safe on our prison estate?
No one, in any walk of life, should be in fear of assault at
work, and that obviously includes dedicated prison officers. I
have already highlighted the steps we are taking to tackle some
of the root causes of that violence. We have the £100 million
security measures to tackle illicit drugs and mobile phones—the
sorts of things that fuel the violence—and the ability to deploy
PAVA spray. The hon. Gentleman rightly highlights the importance
in this context of the number of prison officers. That is why I
am pleased that in the latest statistics published at the end of
last year, numbers are up by 1,500, and retention rates are
improving, too.
Victims of Domestic Violence: Court Proceedings
(North Norfolk) (Con)
7. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that
victims of domestic violence are protected throughout court
proceedings.(902202)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 was transformative with the
protections it gave to domestic abuse victims through the justice
system. To give just a few examples, up-front legal aid is
available to all domestic abuse victims seeking a protective
order, without having to establish evidence of abuse. Our
upcoming legal aid means test review will significantly increase
eligibility and exclude disputed assets, such as the marital
home, from consideration. Perpetrators are prohibited from
cross-examining their victims, and victims are entitled to the
support of an independent domestic violence adviser throughout
the process.
My office has recently assisted with several cases regarding the
use of court proceedings involving victims of domestic abuse. In
many cases, family issues are going straight to trial without any
mediation, which causes far more trauma for all parties
concerned. Can the Minister assure me that we will always place
the victim at the forefront of court proceedings in these
circumstances?
It is specifically to address that issue that we commissioned our
harms panel, which conducted excellent work, as a result of which
the Ministry of Justice has conducted a pilot of pathfinder
courts in Dorset and north Wales focused on preventing exactly
this issue. Those courts have focused on creating a less
adversarial system where domestic abuse allegations are
investigated and resolved at an early stage without being
intensified through the court. My hon. Friend will be glad to
hear that so successful has the pilot been that it will now be
rolled out on a national basis, starting next month with courts
in south-east Wales and in Birmingham.
(Rotherham) (Lab)
In 2023, 67,938 rapes were recorded by the police, but there were
just 2,008 rape convictions. It is well documented that there is
not enough support for rape victims through the court process.
The use of counselling notes has a chilling effect, and the long
waits for their case to go to trial have an intense impact on
survivors, often causing them to withdraw. What will the Minister
do to ensure that victims and survivors are supported throughout
the court process?
It is not in dispute that rape is the most serious offence a
person can experience that is not homicide. It is as a result of
the implementation of the end-to-end rape review that we started
Operation Soteria through the police forces. That has not just
improved rape prosecutions; some forces are referring quadruple
the volume of cases to the Crown Prosecution Service that they
were once before, and overall prosecutions have more than
doubled. We have close to 1,000 independent sexual violence
advisers working in the system, holding a victim’s hand from the
minute they go to the police to the conclusion of the process. I
met some in Hatfield last month, who told me that victims had
told them they had only stayed in the process because of that
support. It is night and day from where it was in 2010. We review
the outcome of the rape review every quarter, and the curve is
going upwards, so of course it is a crucial issue, but one on
which significant improvement is being made on every single
matrix.
(Watford) (Con)
Domestic abuse has no place in modern society or any society.
What work is happening to ensure that victims of domestic abuse
are supported throughout the entire process? We have a fantastic
organisation in Watford called Watford Women’s Centre, which
helps many abuse victims, but what are the Government doing to
ensure that victims are supported throughout and that the
perpetrators are taken to court and justice is served?
I thank my hon. Friend for his excellent question. I give him a
similar answer to the one I gave the hon. Member for Rotherham
(). One thing that has been
transformative in victim support is the provision of not just
independent sexual violence advisers, but independent domestic
abuse advisers. Again, there are nearly 1,000 advisers in the
system helping victims every step of the way. One thing that I am
most excited about in this challenging area of the law is the
pilot launching next month for domestic abuse protection orders,
which will give police or victims the ability to go to the
magistrates court or the family court to seek a blend of
measures, whether that is a non-molestation order, an occupation
order or a stalking protection order, and create positive
obligations on the perpetrator, whether that is on alcohol abuse
or through the perpetrator programme. There is a comprehensive
package of support for domestic abuse victims.
(Richmond Park) (LD)
In Scotland, victims of rape and serious sexual assault are now
able to access free court transcripts. The project will give
victims free access to transcripts that previously would have
cost thousands of pounds. However, the UK Government refuse to
match the scheme and are only committing to a one-year pilot
scheme, in which free copies of sentencing remarks will be made
available to victims of serious crime. That is not good enough.
It fails victims like my constituent, Juliana Terlizzi, who was
charged over £7,000 to read the transcript of her rapist’s trial.
Ahead of Report stage of the Victims and Prisoners Bill in the
other place next month, will the Justice Secretary meet Juliana
and me to discuss matching the Scottish scheme, which will help
get victims the justice they deserve?
I reassure the hon. Lady that the Courts Minister has said that
he will meet her to discuss the matter. She will know that the
cost of transcription for a full trial can be as high as £20,000,
but the power and impact of any trial, where there has been a
conviction, is in the judge’s sentencing remarks at the end, in
seeing everything, and society’s opprobrium is expressed through
the voice of the judge. That is why we are conducting a pilot for
free sentencing remarks in all those cases.
Children in Care: Family Courts
(Gower) (Lab)
8. What assessment he has made of the impact of delays in the
family courts on children who have been taken into
care.(902203)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
Delays in decision making during care proceedings can have a
significant impact on children, and we recognise that there is
more to do to address that challenge. That is why last year the
Government published their response to the independent review of
children’s social care, setting out a programme of action to
achieve better outcomes. The Department for Education is
investing an extra £10 million on new initiatives to address the
longest delays and meet the statutory requirement to resolve
proceedings within 26 weeks.
Data from Cafcass shows that children who have been removed from
their parents by the state have to wait an average of 46 weeks to
get a final decision on where they will live. That is
heartbreaking. What assessment has the Minister made of the
impact of extended family proceedings on the mental health of the
children involved and their ability to access support and child
and adolescent mental health services?
The hon. Lady raises a very serious point. The impact on the
child and the wider family is appreciated. We have invested in
capacity, with more money for Cafcass, judges and recorders, and
more sitting days to ensure that we increase capacity so that
hearings can be heard effectively. We are also focusing on the
public law outline, which sets a maximum number of hearings and
the time limits, to ensure that proceedings are heard on time. If
the hon. Lady wishes to raise any specific cases, I will be happy
to meet her to get to the bottom of any specific problems.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Stockton North) (Lab)
Despite the response given to my hon. Friend the Member for Gower
(), the Government are
still a long way from solving the crisis in the family courts. We
have heard of the 46-week average, but in 13 of the 42 designated
family judge areas in England and Wales, the wait is double the
statutory target of 26 weeks. Then, there are the 80,000 private
family law cases that can take 45 weeks to be resolved, and the
number of new cases is increasing faster than disposals. Do the
Government have any concern or compassion for some of the most
vulnerable children in the country who are being let down? I
invite the Minister to try again and assure the House that the
crisis will not get even worse.
If there is a lever that I have not pulled, I invite the shadow
Minister to let me know what it is, and I will address it. This
Government are spending more money on attracting more judges and
recorders, maximising sitting days and investing in the public
law outline and, on the flip side of public family law, on
private family law as well as mediation. We are investing an
extra £55 million, as announced in the Budget, to address
productivity and the backlogs. Every single lever that will
increase capacity and productivity is being pulled, but I am more
than happy for the hon. Member to share any insight with me, and
I am sure that we can work on a better solution.
Crown Court Backlog
(Barnsley East) (Lab)
9. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog in
the Crown court.(902205)
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
13. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog in
the Crown court.(902210)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
More than 90% of all criminal cases are resolved in the
magistrates court, which includes burglaries, thefts, assaults,
criminal damage and drugs offences. Thanks to magistrates’
exceptional efforts, the caseload has come down significantly
from its post-pandemic peak, and cases are being heard promptly.
To help bring down the caseload in the Crown court, the
Government have invested heavily to allow courts to operate at
full throttle. We have recruited around 1,000 judges and tribunal
members across all jurisdictions this financial year. We have
kept open 20 nightingale courtrooms to boost capacity, and we are
on track to increase spending on criminal legal aid by more than
£140 million a year.
In Yorkshire, Sheffield Crown court has been forced to shut twice
in the last two years due to flooding. That is in addition to the
already record-breaking court backlog across the UK of 67,000
cases. What measures have the Government put in place to deal
with unplanned court closures, to ensure that people still have
access to justice?
One of the first things I did when I took on this role was to
extract from the Treasury an additional £80 million to go into
our court maintenance fund. That is important because it allows
us to plan not just reactively this year, but proactively over
time. That will create more efficiencies and get us more for our
money, and will mean that great courts such as those in Sheffield
can continue to do the business.
How does the backlog in criminal court cases vary by region? What
discussions has the Secretary of State had with local judicial
teams on prioritising and communicating those backlogs?
The senior presiding judge will keep a close eye on regional
discrepancies. In certain cases, there is the power to transfer
them from one court to another, but that will depend on the
suitability for defendants, and witnesses and victims who need to
attend hearings. It is important that we send the message from
this Chamber that more than 90% of all criminal trials—the cases
that people want resolved such as criminal damage, drugs matters
and common assault—are dealt with in magistrates courts, and
magistrates up and down our country are doing an excellent job at
getting through those cases.
(Warrington South) (Con)
I absolutely endorse the Lord Chancellor’s comments on
magistrates working incredibly hard to clear backlogs in courts.
He will have seen recent journalistic reporting relating to
single justice procedure, which is an important element of
magistrates’ work. The principle behind the single justice
procedure is good, and I have sat on cases in SJP courts, but
there are some concerns, in particular around vulnerable
individuals who may have mitigation that is not necessarily being
addressed. Does he agree that perhaps he could remind Members
that magistrates can already use their discretion to refer cases
back to open court, where prosecutors can review cases to ensure
that individuals who are vulnerable are not served with
un-justice?
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend and his colleagues for the
exceptional work they do to ensure that justice is done. On the
single justice procedure, fairness is non-negotiable, so it is
critical that every person who comes before the courts, whether
via the SJP or an open court, gets that fairness. There is an
issue about transparency. Some important points on that have been
raised, and echoed by the Chair of the Justice Committee, my hon.
and learned Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst ( ). It is something that we
ought to consider recalibrating. Everyone accepts that the SJP
works well and is a useful addition. We just need to see whether
it ought to be refined in the interests of promoting
transparency.
End of Custody Supervised Licence
(Islwyn) (Lab/Co-op)
11. How many prisoners have been released early under the end of
custody supervised licence scheme since October 2023.(902208)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
End of custody supervised licence began in October 2023. Analysis
of and statistics on its use will be based on one year’s worth of
data and published on an annualised basis in line with other
statistics, such as deaths of offenders in the community. We
consider that to be the appropriate approach.
Earlier this month, the Chair of the Justice Committee, the hon.
and learned Member for Bromley and Chislehurst ( ), who is in his place, said
that prisons are at “bursting point”, while the Prison Governors’
Association said that without the extension of the ECSL scheme,
our criminal justice system
“may have ground to a halt”.
Meanwhile, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner labelled the plans
as
“dangerous to domestic abuse victims”.
Is the Minister satisfied that the scheme manages the prison
population while keeping the victims of crime safe? If so, when
will he release data about which prisoners have been
released?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. There are a number of points
there. The ECSL is a response to, yes, acute capacity challenges,
but it is a targeted scheme operating in prisons as required and
where necessary. I gently say to him that a similar scheme ran
from 2007 to 2010. In that case, it bore significant differences
to what is happening now. ECSL, as operating now, contains a
range of important safeguards that were simply not in place
between 2007 and 2010. The 2007-10 scheme released some people
straight into the community without any supervision and led to
the early release of some prisoners convicted of terror offences.
This scheme is totally different. It plays a role in managing the
prison capacity challenges, but it has those important safeguards
in place to protect victims and society.
Dame (Morley and Outwood)
(Con)
Our prisons are full, so much so that the Government are
sanctioning the early release of inmates to make space. At what
point will we prioritise the deportation of foreign criminals who
are taking up one in nine of our prison cells, so that we can get
back to zero-tolerance policing and ensure that no crime is too
small to go unpunished?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend, because she is quite right to
highlight that a key element of tackling the prison capacity
crisis is sending back, through deportation, foreign national
offenders. She will be reassured that 18,000 have been deported
in the past four years and we continue to drive that target ever
higher.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Cardiff West) (Lab)
It is telling that the Minister is refusing to come clean with
the public on how many prisoners are being released early under
the scheme. As we know, the public are overwhelmingly in favour
of an early release scheme if it were applied to his colleagues
in a general election. [Laughter.] Does he have any intention,
before that happy day, of releasing the truth about how many
prisoners are being let out early?
It is always a pleasure to face the gentle barbs of the hon.
Gentleman, whom I have known for a long time. As I have made very
clear on a previous occasion in the House, and indeed just a few
moments ago, we consider that an annualised publication of these
statistics is the most appropriate approach, in line with the
publication of similar statistics such as those relating to
deaths of offenders in the community.
Legal Aid: Immigration Cases
(Dundee West) (SNP)
12. What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of
legal aid for immigration cases.(902209)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
The Legal Aid Agency monitors the provision of immigration legal
aid and takes whatever actions are operationally available to it
to ensure a supply of providers.
I was hoping for an answer but did not get one, so let me try
this. While we all desperately want to see the Tories’ asylum
backlog cleared, this effort must be well funded and must ensure
access to justice. What we have instead is an under-resourced
bureaucracy and a push to make rushed asylum decisions, combined
with severe difficulty in accessing immigration legal aid, and as
a result thousands of asylum seekers have effectively been denied
the right to legal representation. Why do the UK Government stand
alone in not recognising the enormous crisis in immigration legal
aid?
In fact, the Government spent £44 million on immigration legal
aid in 2022-23. We have increased the hourly rate for those
undertaking this kind of work, and we are looking at remote
access and payment for travelling. All those steps we have taken
to raise the level of funding in this important area. I have to
say, however, that I think it takes a particular bit of brass
neck for the SNP to lecture us on the funding of legal aid. I
refer the hon. Gentleman to Scottishlegal.com, which has
commented on how the SNP has decimated legal aid in Scotland.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP)
Perhaps the Minister can answer this question. The Bar Council
has repeatedly highlighted the fact that asylum claimants who
have otherwise meritorious cases have often gone through multiple
appeals due to very poor or no legal representation. That jacks
up the costs for the courts, the Home Office and local
authorities, all the while trapping vulnerable people in an
agonising limbo. If the Government will not address the crisis in
immigration legal aid because it is the right thing to do, will
they at least do so because it is the financially sound thing to
do?
As I have said, we are already increasing the fees for those who
take on legal aid work in connection with the Illegal Migration
Act 2023. That is a 15% increase on the increase that we have
already seen. On top of that, we are rolling out remote access to
the duty advice scheme and introducing payment for travel. Those
are major steps towards ensuring the availability of legal aid. I
therefore do not accept the hon. Gentleman’s description of the
position. If he wants to start swapping comments from the Bar
Council, I can quote the Scottish Bar Council’s views on the
SNP’s record.
HMPPS Reoffending Programmes
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
14. What recent assessment his Department has made of the impact
of outcomes data from the Justice Data Lab on the recommissioning
of HM Prison and Probation Service reoffending programmes in the
last 12 months.(902211)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
Reducing reoffending is a core mission of this Government. As my
right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor said in an
earlier answer, we act on the basis not of emotion but of
evidence, deploying a series of carefully researched
interventions from the prison employment leads to the provision
of 12 weeks of accommodation post release. That is why the
reoffending rate has decreased from 31% to 25% since 2010. The
Justice Data Lab makes an important contribution by providing
HMPPS and external organisations with a robust assessment of
whether their interventions work, and we will continue to
consider their work carefully.
I welcome the adherence to an evidence-based approach to working
out whether or not these various programmes work effectively, but
may I urge Ministers to go even further by ensuring that every
programme we currently commission is reassessed on the basis of
outcomes, and then not recommissioned unless those outcomes
measure up?
I can confirm that the Government will continue to base our
investment decisions to reduce reoffending on the best available
evidence at the time. We are continuously improving our evidence
base, for instance through the cross-governmental Better Outcomes
through Linked Data programme.
Topical Questions
(Slough) (Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(902221)
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice ()
Since the last session of Justice questions I have visited HMP
Liverpool, a prison that received a poor inspection report some
years ago, and I saw how it had been transformed. Prisoners were
engaged in constructive activity in the cycle repair workshop and
elsewhere, cells had been refurbished, and there was a clear
sense of pride among prison officers, who were determined to
deliver safety, decency and rehabilitation. Prisons as well as
prisoners, it seems, can be redeemed. I have also visited
Liverpool Crown court to see our “intensive supervision courts”
in action, tackling the root causes of offending with treatment
for addictions. In Coventry I saw rapid deployment teams of
offenders who had been sentenced to carrying out unpaid work
clearing up local neighbourhoods, visibly atoning for their
crimes, and doing so within 48 hours of the project being
nominated by the public.
I was pleased to support the important Strategic Litigation
Against Public Participation Bill, promoted by the hon. Member
for Caerphilly (), which is intended to tackle
abusive and chilling lawsuits. We have also brought forward
legislation on litigation funding agreements to ensure that third
parties can continue to fund court proceedings on behalf of
individuals or small businesses. That support enabled the
sub-postmasters to make their successful civil claim. Our
legislation will bolster access to justice, boost our legal
sector, and ensure that in our courts David can still take on
Goliath.
Mr Dhesi
The Government have achieved only 5,900 of the promised 20,000
new prison places, resulting in them having to release prisoners
up to 60 days early to alleviate overcrowding, thereby directly
impacting on public safety. How does the Secretary of State
reconcile this with the Conservative promise of being tough on
crime, especially when his end-of-custody supervised licensing
scheme expansion significantly deviates from judicial
sentencing?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. When I was in
practice, I had to listen to the then Labour Home Secretary say
that he was going to cancel the three Titan prisons that he had
boasted he would open. Not one was built. We have opened Five
Wells and Fosse Way, and Millsike is under construction. We have
more cells coming online in Birmingham, Liverpool and Norwich. We
have rapid deployment cells, and we have new houseblocks in Guys
Marsh, Rye Hill and Hatfield. This is the party that is
delivering. We will be tough on crime.
Mr Speaker
May I gently say that there a lot of people I need to get in? If
we could shorten the answers, that would be helpful.
(Gedling) (Con)
T3. I recently met my constituent David Winnett, who is a family
law solicitor and a member of Resolution. He told me about
Resolution’s vision for family justice. I wonder whether my right
hon. and learned Friend is familiar with that vision,
particularly the importance placed on early legal advice in
family disputes. Is there scope to add Resolution’s proposed
scheme to the mediation pilots that the Government currently have
planned?(902223)
Resolution does exceptionally important work, and in the Budget
the Chancellor announced an additional £55 million of support for
separating parents, including £12 million to deliver a new pilot.
We are working with Resolution and other organisations to
implement the pilot, which we aim to launch in September this
year.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Birmingham, Ladywood)
(Lab)
This Conservative Government promised 20,000 prison places by
2025, but so far they have only delivered under 6,000. The
Justice Secretary is letting violent offenders out up to two
months early because, as we found out from press briefings about
dire warnings to No. 10, he has literally nowhere to put them.
Instead of focusing on what happened 14 years ago under the last
Labour Government, will he level with the public about the true
scale of the prisons capacity crisis that is unfolding on his
watch?
I have been very candid in saying that there are pressures in our
prisons. But here is the thing: first, capacity in our jails is
significantly higher than it was under Labour’s watch; and
secondly, we have a record of delivery and there will be 10,000
places by next year. Here is the really important point. There
are two questions that I posed in my statement. First, would
Labour have let out up to 16,000 people during covid—yes or no?
We said no. Secondly, would Labour have got rid of jury trials?
We did not, but the Opposition would have. If they had made the
same decisions that we did, they would have faced the same
pressures. This is opportunism, it is silly, and Britain deserves
better.
Bring on the general election and I will happily answer those
questions. I am not surprised that the Secretary of State does
not want to acknowledge the truth. Probation officers have told
me that they genuinely fear not being able to keep the public
safe, because they are being forced to rush through the early
release of violent men in order to free up space. He will have
heard the same concerns, so what is he going to do about it?
It is really important that the public are not inadvertently
misled. Early release does not apply to those on life sentences,
those on imprisonment for public protection sentences, those on
extended determinate sentences, any sex offenders, any terrorism
offenders and any serious violent offenders. The difference
between our scheme and the Opposition’s is that, under their
scheme, governors had no discretion to block the release of
prisoners; under ours, they do. That is the difference: we
prioritise public safety; the Opposition prioritise politics.
(Carshalton and Wallington)
(Con)
T5. My constituent Cindy went through hell when her daughter
Victoria was brutally raped and attacked by a serial offender,
Donald Andrews. Victoria took her life not long after. This
monster was a regular offender before and, to add insult to
injury, his whole-life sentence has been quashed and he is now
applying for parole. Police psychologists and other professionals
have deemed this attacker to be a high risk to society, so will
my right hon. Friend make similar representations to the Parole
Board—that this monster should never be allowed out?(902225)
Many people in this House will have heard about some appalling
cases, but this case is truly one of the most shocking and
upsetting that any of us will have encountered. I of course pass
on my deepest sympathy to Cindy Legg for the tragic loss of her
daughter Victoria. I can indicate that I did enter an overarching
view opposing release, and I can announce that he will not be
recommended for release. I hope that will be of some comfort to
the family. In the Victims and Prisoners Bill we are introducing
an additional safeguard: specifically, a power for the Lord
Chancellor to order a second check on the release of the most
serious offenders to keep the public safe.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP)
The Government’s plans to introduce employment tribunal fees
suggest that users should pay towards running costs, implying
that only those using the system benefit from it. However,
Resolution Foundation research shows that tribunals are heavily
relied upon to enforce workers’ rights for all. Does the Justice
Secretary not appreciate that any action to deter lower-paid
workers from bringing forward cases will be to the detriment of
the system as a whole?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
We do not believe that a £55 claim issue fee will be a deterrent.
The tribunal system costs the taxpayer £80 million a year, and we
do not think it is unreasonable that those who use it should pay
a small contribution. To answer the question, we do not think it
is a deterrent.
(Torbay) (Con)
T7. The tragic reality is that when intimate partners murder,
women are the victims in 90% of cases. What progress have the
Government made since the Wade review on ensuring that justice is
done in these cases?(902227)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
We are increasing sentences by introducing statutory aggravating
factors for murders that are preceded by coercive or controlling
behaviour, that involve overkill or that are connected with the
end of a relationship. For manslaughter involving sexual conduct,
we intend to target cases where death occurs in the context of
abusive or degrading sexual conduct. We have consulted publicly
on sentencing, with starting points for murders preceded by
controlling or coercive behaviour and for murders committed with
a knife or other weapon.
(Vauxhall)
(Lab/Co-op)
T2. People want access to justice. The Women’s Budget Group has
found that, as a result of the disastrous Legal Aid, Sentencing
and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, 85% of vulnerable women are
unable to access civil legal aid and the majority of them are
reaching crisis point. Does the Minister think it is right that
these women are being left without basic access to
justice?(902222)
The hon. Lady raises an important point and I would be happy to
meet her and take representations on that specific point. I will
also discuss it with , who, alongside me, deals
with civil legal aid.
(Bosworth) (Con)
T9. I thank the Lord Chancellor for meeting me and my hon. Friend
the Member for South Leicestershire () to discuss the egregious
case of Colin Pitchfork, the double child rapist, who has had
problems bouncing in and out through the Parole Board system. I
know that my right hon. and learned Friend cannot change the law
on this retrospectively, but what can he do in upcoming
legislation to ensure that we have the protections for our
communities to make sure they are safe and that reoffenders are
not released?(902229)
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this incredibly important case
and for taking it up so powerfully on behalf of his constituents.
In the Sentencing Bill, we have a proposal such that people who
commit crimes of murder involving sexual and sadistic conduct
will not be released, because they will be expected to serve a
whole-life order. That is just, on behalf of the British people,
and it also helps to keep communities such as that of my hon.
Friend safe.
(Islwyn) (Lab/Co-op)
T4. The number of outstanding cases before Gwent magistrates
courts has risen by 21% in the last year alone. However, the
number of magistrates is now 20% lower in the whole of south
Wales. We have heard today about the great work of the
magistrates courts and the fact that magistrates come from all
walks of life. What are the Government doing to ensure that
hard-to-reach people are offering their services as magistrates,
including ethnic minorities and, in particular, younger
people?(902224)
The hon. Gentleman raises a good point. I lead on diversity in
the Department, and a piece of work is already under way on how
we can increase the diversity of the magistracy and ensure that
we recruit from those hard-to-reach groups. I am more than happy
to meet him to swap ideas and discuss how we can continue to
change the face of our magistrates.
(Romford) (Con)
Does the Secretary of State for Justice agree that in England and
across the United Kingdom, the ancient principle of innocent
until proven guilty should be upheld and restored, and that the
punishment should never be the process?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I was asked about my
priorities when I was appointed to this role, and I said that the
guilty should be convicted, that the innocent should walk free
and that the public should be protected. It is very important
that people who are accused of an offence have confidence that
the process will be prompt and humane. Ultimately, the British
people are fair minded. They want people to be rightfully
convicted, but they also want the innocent to walk free.
(Newport West) (Lab)
T6. Since 27 February, there have been six sudden deaths at HMP
Parc in Bridgend, and it appears that at least four of those
tragic deaths were drug-related. What are the Government doing to
ensure that inmates at Parc are kept safe and walk out of prison
safe and well at the end of their sentence?(902226)
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for highlighting a serious and
important issue. I am happy to meet her to discuss it further, if
she wishes.
In line with established protocols for deaths in custody, we are
not able to comment on individual cases until the relevant
investigation by the prisons and probation ombudsman has
concluded, but HMP and YOI Parc has mobilised a range of actions
to gather intelligence on drug entry points and on what has
happened. I am happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss this matter
privately.
(Christchurch) (Con)
When the National Crime Agency briefed Members who are interested
in the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill, it estimated that
between 550,000 and 800,000 serious sexual offenders are at large
in this country. What are the Government doing to identify them?
How many more prisons will we have to build to accommodate
them?
I am proud that, since 2010, the number of people prosecuted for
rape is up 32%, sentences are around 40% longer and the
proportion of those sentences spent in custody has increased. We
are determined to do everything possible to send a clear message
that addressing serious sexual offending is a priority for this
Government. We will clamp down on it, and those who perpetrate
this vile crime can expect the punishment they deserve.
(Pontypridd) (Lab)
T8. The Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation Bill,
which was tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly
() and which the Government now
support, is a great opportunity to tackle pernicious lawsuits
that seek to silence journalists, campaigners and even sexual
assault survivors, but two key deficiencies—the overly subjective
test and the narrow definition of public interest—mean that
anti-SLAPP campaigners tell me that they simply cannot support
the Bill in its current form. Ahead of the important Committee
stage, will the Lord Chancellor commit to looking at the
amendment suggested by the News Media Association and meet me to
address its concerns so that the Bill becomes fit for
purpose?(902228)
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising this important issue.
I am aware of the issues that have been raised. There is plainly
a delicate balance to strike. It is incredibly important that
individuals can access the courts to get a remedy in appropriate
cases, and we want to make sure that the balance is properly
struck. We will consider the amendment with care, as I have with
the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. If the hon.
Lady wants to make representations to me, I will listen to them
very carefully.
(Bassetlaw) (Con)
Worksop witnessed the horrific murder of Pauline Quinn by a man
who had been released after serving time for a double murder. The
probation service has since admitted that mistakes were made.
However, the public still have many unanswered questions. Does
the Minister agree that, although it is understandable that all
the information sometimes cannot be put in the public domain, the
probation service should seek to be as transparent as possible
and give communities that information, where possible?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this important issue.
He is right to highlight that there are occasions when it is not
possible to make all the information public, but it is important
that there is as much transparency as possible. If it would be
helpful, I am happy to meet him to discuss it further.
(Selby and Ainsty) (Lab)
T10. Selby is classed by the Law Society as a legal advice desert
for housing, education and family legal aid. What are the
Minister’s plans to fix that?(902230)
The Legal Aid Agency keeps the location of providers under
constant review. We have invested an additional £10 million over
the last few months in those specific types of legal aid. If the
hon. Gentleman writes to me, I can give him the details of where
the spend is going in his local area.
(Bromley and Chislehurst)
(Con)
Joshua Rozenberg KC has presented “Law in Action” on Radio 4 over
the past 20 years, and it has frequently shed important light on
areas of our justice system that need attention. Does the
Secretary of State share my disappointment that today’s broadcast
will be the programme’s last, because it has not been
recommissioned? Will he also pay tribute to Joshua Rozenberg for
his work?
I am very grateful to my hon. and learned Friend for raising this
point. Joshua Rozenberg has made a profound and important
contribution to our country. Indeed, he is required reading, and
I read him most days. I share my hon. and learned Friend’s
profound regret, and I echo his sentiments. I think the whole
House will wish Joshua Rozenberg well.
(Ealing Central and Acton)
(Lab)
All through Lent, women nationwide have faced intimidation from
the anti-choice group 40 Days for Life blocking their entrance to
abortion clinics daily. Why is that happening, given that MPs
voted by a ratio of 3:1 in 2022 for safe access zones, with the
Under-Secretary of State for Justice, the hon. Member for Newbury
() being one of them?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice ()
I concur with the hon. Lady that it is completely unacceptable
that anyone should feel harassed or intimidated when exercising
their legal right to abortion services. I hope she will be
reassured to hear that it is anticipated that section 9 of the
Public Order Act 2023 will be commenced no later than this
spring. The consultation on the guidance published by the Home
Office closed on 22 January and the final response will be
published in due course. I must just say one thing, however: it
is right that a balance will need to be struck where competing
rights are engaged, including under articles 10 and 11 of the
European convention on human rights.
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
Our probation service is in crisis, with staff overworked,
overstretched and undervalued. The expansion of the early release
scheme will put yet more pressure on them, so what is the
Minister doing this year to help our probation staff face that
extra workload?
Probation officers do an exceptionally important job, as I
believe we all agree. Let me set out what we have done in respect
of prison and probation staff. First, we accepted every penny of
the Prison Service pay review body recommendations. We have
injected extra funding of more than £155 million a year into
probation. Prison officers do a tough job, as do probation
officers, but I am delighted to report that the retention of
prison officers is improving, with the staff resignation rate in
prisons dropping from about 10.7% to 8.3%, and their numbers have
increased. As for probation, we have recruited about 4,000 people
in the past three years. That is positive and we will continue to
support them every step of the way.
Sir (Rhondda) (Lab)
Do we have enough crematoriums in the UK, given that many
families are now having to wait three, four, five or six weeks
for a funeral slot? Why is there such a gap between the cheapest
crematorium in the country, which charges £408, and the most
expensive, in Stevenage, which charged £1,400 last year?
The challenges facing crematoriums, and in fact the whole funeral
sector, are being reviewed by the Law Commission. This is about
not just crematoriums, but burial space. There are challenges
across the whole death management landscape, to use the technical
term, which is why the Law Commission is investigating and
bringing forward proposals.
(Hammersmith) (Lab)
The fees for civil legal aid are half what they were in 1996 and
the number of providers has fallen by 40% in the past 10 years.
If the Minister actually wants to do something about civil legal
aid, why has he kicked the civil legal aid review into the long
grass?
Legal aid is always under constant review and I will always take
advice from those closest to it. That is why I engage with, for
example, the Bar Association, the Law Society and the judiciary
on what we need to do. As for kicking things into the long grass,
all I can say is that I want to get this right and if that takes
time, it will take time.
Mr Speaker
For the final question, I call .
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Justice Secretary did not quite answer
my question on where the 67,000 criminal cases in the backlog
are, and how they are being prioritised and communicated. I do
not want another historical child sexual exploitation victim to
be told by a Crown court that her case has been cancelled twice
because it is not a priority.
The point I was endeavouring to make, although I perhaps did not
do so well, is that listing is a judicial function. We have seen
the senior presiding judge make a decision that certain sex cases
and those most serious rapes, for example—all of them are
serious, of course—will be given an early listing. As I say, I do
not have complete control over that, but I do discuss it with the
Lady Chief Justice and I know that the senior presiding judge is
keen to get through those cases at the earliest opportunity.
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