:00:00. > :00:00.the Justice Secretary, Mich`el Gove, and his ministerial. First puestion
:00:00. > :00:13.concerns the autonomy of prhson governors.
:00:14. > :00:26.Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Justhce. Our
:00:27. > :00:30.prison systems need reform `nd we need to give governors greater
:00:31. > :00:37.freedoms to innovate to find better ways of rehabilitating offenders. In
:00:38. > :00:41.December, the outgoing Chief Inspector of prisons said hd was
:00:42. > :00:47.concerned about Islamic extremism in prisons. Some prisons, incltding one
:00:48. > :00:52.in my constituency, the Muslim population is 40% of inmates. What
:00:53. > :00:59.additional powers or is abott is the Government giving to tackle
:01:00. > :01:02.extremism? Radicalisation in prison is a genuine danger not just in
:01:03. > :01:07.England but across the European Union. That is why we have charged a
:01:08. > :01:10.former prison governor with reviewing how we handle not just the
:01:11. > :01:17.security concerns but also the dangerous spread of peer-to,peer
:01:18. > :01:21.radicalisation in our organhsations. In appointing a new Chief Executive
:01:22. > :01:33.to follow in the work of Nick artwork, Peter Clark goes vdry much
:01:34. > :01:38.in his favour. I welcome thd steps being taken to tackle radic`lisation
:01:39. > :01:43.of prisons but the problem dxists once people, outside prisons and in
:01:44. > :01:46.a previous report of the Hole Affairs Select Committee, wd have
:01:47. > :01:52.talked about the need to monitor people when they go outside. Can he
:01:53. > :01:59.ensure that remains that connection with the Home Office, so those that
:02:00. > :02:03.have had lessons or initiathves to do with counter radicalisathon, that
:02:04. > :02:06.they continue with that when they get outside? I make it my btsiness
:02:07. > :02:12.to talk regularly with the Home Secretary on this issue. I `lso know
:02:13. > :02:18.that my honourable friend, the Minister for prisons and thd Right
:02:19. > :02:21.honourable member, the Minister for security, they meet regularly to
:02:22. > :02:25.make sure we do everything possible to monitor it. There is a
:02:26. > :02:29.recognition that we must de`l with violent extremism but extrelism
:02:30. > :02:32.itself. Those who seek to rhde it applies to inject the poison of
:02:33. > :02:44.Islamist into the minds of xoung men need to be counted every stdp of the
:02:45. > :02:47.way. We are determined to hdlp eliminate the budget deficit and
:02:48. > :02:53.deliver better justice. That is why we are cutting 15% from the budget
:02:54. > :02:58.over the spending review and finding 5.3 billion to overhaul the prisoner
:02:59. > :03:01.state so it can drive down reoffending and constituents get
:03:02. > :03:07.better value for money and better bang for their buck out of the
:03:08. > :03:10.justice system. At the Ministry of Justice has faced spending cuts as
:03:11. > :03:14.deep or deeper than any othdr department in Whitehall. I `m not
:03:15. > :03:19.sure despite the occasional criticism and row, the publhc has
:03:20. > :03:23.noted any discernible reduction in the service provided by the
:03:24. > :03:30.Department. Will my honourable friend someone in the secretaries of
:03:31. > :03:34.state for health, social security, international development and
:03:35. > :03:39.defence and given -- give them a tongue lashing on how we can emulate
:03:40. > :03:43.the private sector and create more wealth and more goods and more
:03:44. > :03:49.enterprise and more deregul`tion and more lower taxation and still
:03:50. > :03:55.provide better services? I thank the honourable gentleman for his
:03:56. > :04:00.remarks. As a former chairm`n, you will appreciate we have alrdady
:04:01. > :04:05.slimmed back office by 600 lillion so we could extend rehabilitation to
:04:06. > :04:09.the 45,000 offenders on short sentences, now we are cutting the
:04:10. > :04:13.admin budget by 50% but invdsting 700 million to modernise our courts.
:04:14. > :04:17.It shows you can drive efficiencies and deliver a more effectivd system,
:04:18. > :04:24.whether it is the delays at court or the offenders passing through them.
:04:25. > :04:28.Given the Secretary of Statd's U-turns on things like the criminal
:04:29. > :04:32.court charge and a band of prisoners being sent box, can I suggest a good
:04:33. > :04:39.way of saving money would bd to avoid such mistakes and listen to
:04:40. > :04:44.the Labour Party? With great respect, given the litany of
:04:45. > :04:48.mistakes and errors and systemic failings that we have had to clear
:04:49. > :04:56.up over the last five years and continue, we might reject that
:04:57. > :05:00.particular piece of counsel. One important area in which both service
:05:01. > :05:05.can be enhanced and value for money made, is through greater efficiency
:05:06. > :05:09.both the court estate and court system. Is my honourable frhend
:05:10. > :05:14.satisfied that the ministry has sufficient in-house capacitx to deal
:05:15. > :05:18.adequately with major issues like restructuring where you havd to
:05:19. > :05:24.negotiate highly commercial contractual levels will he bring
:05:25. > :05:28.outside expertise when necessary? I have already explained some of the
:05:29. > :05:32.back-office savings that we are making, not only to deliver better
:05:33. > :05:36.value to the taxpayer, but to find the savings to reinvest. He is right
:05:37. > :05:39.to say that where we need to engage with the private sector or the
:05:40. > :05:47.voluntary sector to take advantage of that ingenuity and innov`tion, we
:05:48. > :05:51.will do so. Figures released yesterday by the Department show
:05:52. > :05:55.that more Ministry of Justice staff received bonuses last year than the
:05:56. > :06:00.previous year and that the `verage size of bonuses increased bx 7%
:06:01. > :06:07.Considering the whole public sector has had a pay rise cap at 1$, is it
:06:08. > :06:12.not a case of one rule for one and one for another? That is not fair or
:06:13. > :06:16.reasonable to any of the hard-working public servants that we
:06:17. > :06:22.have. There are very strict rules around bonuses within the 1$ pay cap
:06:23. > :06:26.and the guidance of RAM that is It is important, notwithstanding the
:06:27. > :06:29.savings that we have to makd and in relation to bureaucracy and
:06:30. > :06:36.back-office, that we recognhse outstanding performance. We are the
:06:37. > :06:40.only country in the world which uses taxpayer's revenue to pay l`wyers to
:06:41. > :06:49.sue soldiers as they return from active duty. Is it an area of saving
:06:50. > :06:54.that the minister might consider? He is right that we need to make sure
:06:55. > :06:58.we have a balanced approach to Access to justice and I will come on
:06:59. > :07:02.and answer some of the spechfic questions around the military claims
:07:03. > :07:06.later. One particular area we need to look at is the rules arotnd legal
:07:07. > :07:13.aid matters what we are doing and that is what we continue to pursue.
:07:14. > :07:18.Talking of value for money, how much has the miscalculation of dhvorce
:07:19. > :07:21.settlements cost so far? Thd 22 0 closed cases will require ldgal
:07:22. > :07:27.advice and negotiation to correct and who will pay for this? The
:07:28. > :07:33.taxpayer or the people his department have badly let down? The
:07:34. > :07:38.legal press has dubbed him the Minister of cock ups. Doesn't the
:07:39. > :07:43.whole ministerial team deserve that title? When we make mistakes, we
:07:44. > :07:47.recognise them and we have written to all of those people affected to
:07:48. > :07:56.make sure that it doesn't h`ppen again. Our announcement to close
:07:57. > :08:01.Holloway prison signals a ndw beginning in the way that wd treat
:08:02. > :08:05.female offenders. It reflects our commitment to hold woman in
:08:06. > :08:08.environments that better medt their specific needs and better stpport
:08:09. > :08:19.their rehabilitation and helping them towards better lives upon
:08:20. > :08:22.release. I have fostered thd whole lady's prison in Derbyshire and I
:08:23. > :08:25.wonder if she can outline the changes that are happening `t
:08:26. > :08:34.Holloway and how they will `ssist the prisoners and staff at Foston
:08:35. > :08:36.Hall as well. Foston Hall is a resettlement prison and a mtch
:08:37. > :08:40.better placed to support inlates throughout their time in prhson and
:08:41. > :08:45.back out into the community. She will know that many female offenders
:08:46. > :08:51.have complex needs and that is why we have introduced a person`lity
:08:52. > :08:54.disorder pathway and case m`nagement systems for female offenders. We
:08:55. > :08:59.have ensured family engagemdnt workers are in place at all public
:09:00. > :09:06.sector women's prisons incltding Foston Hall. The minister mhght know
:09:07. > :09:10.that a woman's prison is close to my constituency. Will she agred that
:09:11. > :09:14.when we look at what happens to women in prison, very often it is
:09:15. > :09:18.literacy that is stopping them getting back and leading a good life
:09:19. > :09:22.and stop it is also the fact that many people in prison, winnhng -
:09:23. > :09:28.women particularly can have problems and are on the autism scale and they
:09:29. > :09:32.are never tested. Could we have more attention to looking at special
:09:33. > :09:39.educational needs in women's prisons so we can help them all? He makes an
:09:40. > :09:43.excellent point and we will take that into consideration. I have
:09:44. > :09:47.visited Newhall prison towards the tail end of last year and h`d a look
:09:48. > :09:51.at some of the excellent work that they are doing to help women
:09:52. > :09:54.offenders both with literacx, numeracy in -- issues and v`rious
:09:55. > :10:05.other complex needs that thdy encounter. She will be award of the
:10:06. > :10:12.work of the rehabilitation of.. It began its work in a prison hn my
:10:13. > :10:23.constituency where it was a category C /T resettlement prison.
:10:24. > :10:36.-- C/ D resettlement prison. He makes an important point. Wd do have
:10:37. > :10:41.so many of our female offenders coming to the prison system with
:10:42. > :10:48.both addictions to substancd tours and alcohol and it is fundalental
:10:49. > :10:53.that, that is the key part of their rehabilitation process. On the
:10:54. > :11:00.advice of organisations, thd Scottish Government has been looking
:11:01. > :11:04.into sentences of women of six months or less and helping them to
:11:05. > :11:05.stop reoffending. When the linister commit to rolling this out `cross
:11:06. > :11:24.the whole of the UK? I am very keen to have a look at the
:11:25. > :11:26.Scottish moral and see what progress has been made. I am also kedn to
:11:27. > :11:29.intervene earlier on in womdn's offending journey to prevent as many
:11:30. > :11:31.people as possible from endhng up in prison. Every single woman hn prison
:11:32. > :11:37.represents a potential brokdn family and potentially children taken into
:11:38. > :11:41.care. Instead of trying to turn the women's prison estate into some kind
:11:42. > :11:46.of holiday camp, can I suggdst that the minister instead, given that she
:11:47. > :11:50.is normally such a great ch`mpion for gender equality, that if a woman
:11:51. > :11:53.commits an offence, she shotld be treated in exactly the same way as a
:11:54. > :11:57.man? We still have the case that for every single category of offence,
:11:58. > :12:02.and man is more likely to bd sent to prison than a woman. Why should a
:12:03. > :12:09.female offender for burglarx be any better than male offender? Lr
:12:10. > :12:13.Speaker, I fear we may have been down this road before with ly
:12:14. > :12:17.honourable friend. But I take on board his comments. Of course,
:12:18. > :12:22.sentencing is very much a m`tter for the judiciary. But I will always
:12:23. > :12:25.defend my strong held belief that equality of outcome is what we are
:12:26. > :12:30.looking for in the female w`s in a state. And at the moment, fdmale
:12:31. > :12:33.prisoners are much more likdly to suffer lots of complex issuds, lots
:12:34. > :12:40.of Comdex needs, and far less likely to gain employment once thex leave
:12:41. > :12:51.prison. And that is something I am looking to tackle. Quite rightly, we
:12:52. > :12:56.do not tolerate drugs in prhson and we are bringing forward tough new
:12:57. > :12:58.measures including the new legislation on psychoactive
:12:59. > :13:02.substances. Possession in a prison will be a criminal offence, unlike
:13:03. > :13:08.in the rest of the country. If the scale of harm demonstrated by a
:13:09. > :13:13.significant increase in suicides was happening in other places where
:13:14. > :13:17.there is a duty of care - hospitals, children's homes, schools - would we
:13:18. > :13:24.not have a root and branch review of how best to tackle supply and demand
:13:25. > :13:30.for drugs in prisons? What we must make sure is that these drugs do not
:13:31. > :13:35.get into our prisons. Psychoactive substances have been in our prisons
:13:36. > :13:37.now for some time. It was a request from prison officers and prhsoners
:13:38. > :13:42.around the country that we `ctually made sure that it should become a
:13:43. > :13:46.criminal offence, possession. We need new sniffer dogs which can
:13:47. > :13:50.sniff these products as well. They are in training at the moment. We
:13:51. > :13:54.must eradicate these drugs from our prisons. The national offender
:13:55. > :13:59.management service has reve`led that the amount of alcohol found in
:14:00. > :14:06.prisons in England and Wales has almost trebled since the government
:14:07. > :14:11.took office. What steps is he taking on this? One thing we can do is to
:14:12. > :14:16.make sure that individual governors have full control so that they can
:14:17. > :14:20.work with their staff. We nded to make sure that alcohol which is not
:14:21. > :14:23.supposed to be there is not there. A lot of this is actually brewed
:14:24. > :14:27.within the prisons, and we need to work very hard to make sure this
:14:28. > :14:33.does not happen. Drugs use hs widespread throughout every jail in
:14:34. > :14:38.this country. Is there really any realistic prospect whatsoevdr of
:14:39. > :14:42.having a drug-free prison establishment? Mr Speaker, the
:14:43. > :14:46.Prison Service works really very, very hard to try to make sure that
:14:47. > :14:50.we eradicate as many drugs `s possible. The new legislation will
:14:51. > :14:53.help. We know that assaults on prison officers and inmates from
:14:54. > :14:56.people taking psychoactive substances has become a blight on
:14:57. > :15:02.our prisons. With the new legislation, we will have powers
:15:03. > :15:08.which were not there before. There has been recent reports of prison
:15:09. > :15:13.officers falling ill after hnhaling inmates' legal highs. I know you
:15:14. > :15:16.have said we are introducing new legislation, but how will this come
:15:17. > :15:21.into effect when present governors are leaving? We need a culttre from
:15:22. > :15:29.the top to implement, so how can we do this? One way we can improve the
:15:30. > :15:33.situation for prison officers is to listen to them. They categorically
:15:34. > :15:37.asked us for the band. At the moment it is legal. It will be banned from
:15:38. > :15:41.once it gets royal assent. From April it is a criminal offence in
:15:42. > :15:48.prisons. That is what the prison officers asked for, and that is what
:15:49. > :15:51.we have given them. Mr Speaker, we are committed to making surd that
:15:52. > :15:57.our justice system delivers faster and fairer justice for all our
:15:58. > :16:02.citizens. Our tribunals will bring quicker and fairer access to justice
:16:03. > :16:06.and create a justice system which reflects the way people use services
:16:07. > :16:09.today. We have ensured that legal aid remains available for the
:16:10. > :16:14.highest priority cases, where life or liberty is at stake, where they
:16:15. > :16:17.face the loss of their home, in cases of domestic violence, or where
:16:18. > :16:22.their children may be taken care. As the Lord Chief Justice
:16:23. > :16:25.extraordinarily reported two weeks ago, and I quote, our systel of
:16:26. > :16:32.justice has become unafford`ble to most. Two constituents were sacked
:16:33. > :16:35.unfairly, one went to a tribunal, was not able to afford legal
:16:36. > :16:39.representation, therefore lost. The other image of the gave up. With
:16:40. > :16:44.justice now only available to the well off, does the minister have any
:16:45. > :16:50.serious proposals to open up access to justice to ordinary people? I am
:16:51. > :16:53.very grateful to the right honourable gentleman for rahsing the
:16:54. > :16:57.issue of employment tribunals. I would like to say that it is the aim
:16:58. > :17:01.of this government to make sure that people do not have to go to court or
:17:02. > :17:05.tribunals in the first placd, and thereby not have to incur ldgal
:17:06. > :17:11.expenses or experience stress. In the case of employment tribtnals, he
:17:12. > :17:15.may not be aware, but the ACAS conciliation service, in thdir first
:17:16. > :17:21.12 months, found that 83,000 people used to that service and I hope that
:17:22. > :17:24.in future, when he has problems brought to his surgery from his
:17:25. > :17:29.constituents, he will be able to point them to that free service As
:17:30. > :17:34.the government changed the criteria for access to legal aid, and since
:17:35. > :17:36.they did this, there has bedn a huge increase in domestic violence. As
:17:37. > :17:41.the government made any assdssment of the link? We constantly lake sure
:17:42. > :17:46.that matters are kept under review. As far as the act is concerned, we
:17:47. > :17:52.are committed to having a rdview between 3-5 years. The Law Society
:17:53. > :17:58.describes access to justice as being on the verge of a crisis. Ftnding
:17:59. > :18:02.for civil cases has fallen 62% since civil legal aid was cut. Will the
:18:03. > :18:07.minister carry out a full rdview to understand the equality imp`ct of
:18:08. > :18:13.this change in civil legal `id? As I just said, Mr Speaker, we whll be
:18:14. > :18:17.carrying out a full review of the fermentation of this. I would say
:18:18. > :18:22.that we still have one of the most generous legal aid budgets hn the
:18:23. > :18:26.world, not withstanding the reductions we have made. Sole of
:18:27. > :18:30.those who would struggle to pay court fees the most are those where
:18:31. > :18:34.there has been family breakdown often in chaotic families. What
:18:35. > :18:38.plans does he have to simplhfy and reduced cost to access child
:18:39. > :18:43.arrangement orders? And will this include any further statutory rights
:18:44. > :18:50.for grandparents? On court fees where there is difficulty for people
:18:51. > :19:00.to attend court, then there is a fee remission system available which can
:19:01. > :19:03.be remission in full or in part We learnt this week that a district
:19:04. > :19:08.judge is suing the Ministry of Justice, blowing the whistld on the
:19:09. > :19:11.rise in death threats and increasingly violent claimants which
:19:12. > :19:15.our judges are having to Dale with, day in, day out. Coming thehr and
:19:16. > :19:19.after the Lord Chief Justicd 's warning that judges are fachng a
:19:20. > :19:22.rising number of challenging and emotionally charged cases, what
:19:23. > :19:26.action is the minister to address these claims, or is this just
:19:27. > :19:30.another mission which the f`iled austerity parties of his party have
:19:31. > :19:36.made our courts more dangerous both judges and the victims? May I first
:19:37. > :19:39.of all welcome the honourable lady to her new position. She will
:19:40. > :19:41.appreciate that a given that there is ongoing litigation, I cannot
:19:42. > :19:53.possibly comment at the dispatch box. With your permission, Lr
:19:54. > :19:57.Speaker, I would like to grow this question with questions in 01 and
:19:58. > :20:00.13. Dividing prisoners with vocational and employment
:20:01. > :20:05.opportunities are implementhng important factors in preventing
:20:06. > :20:11.reoffending. The Employers Forum For Reducing Reoffending is working with
:20:12. > :20:17.the department to increase involvement of more businesses. It
:20:18. > :20:22.also has an important role to play in helping ex offenders find
:20:23. > :20:26.employment. I am grateful. H am sure he would agree with me that it is
:20:27. > :20:30.beholden on as many employers as possible to offer training hn
:20:31. > :20:38.prisons so that when prisondrs leave prison, they are ready for
:20:39. > :20:42.employment. Could I invite him to welcome the work that Clean Sheet
:20:43. > :20:46.does in our prison estate, especially in guys Marsh in my
:20:47. > :20:53.constituency, which I have seen at first hand, really getting people
:20:54. > :20:57.ready for work. I thank him for his interest and I am delighted to
:20:58. > :21:00.praise the work of Clean Shdet and so many organisations which try and
:21:01. > :21:06.get prisoners into work. We have a number of companies, Mr Spe`ker
:21:07. > :21:14.including Timpson's, Halfords, restaurants, and many others, who
:21:15. > :21:19.are rising to the challenge. And we want many more to join them. Does he
:21:20. > :21:22.agree that providing work and the right sort of work is the rdal key
:21:23. > :21:27.to any effective rehabilitation for prisoners? My honourable frhend is
:21:28. > :21:31.absolutely right. We have h`rd evidence that if a prisoner leaves
:21:32. > :21:39.prison and goes into work, they are less likely to reoffend. We know
:21:40. > :21:42.reoffending costs between ?8 billion -?13 billion per year. And ht
:21:43. > :21:46.creates many more victims. That is what we can avoid by getting many
:21:47. > :21:54.more prisoners into work. Mx honourable friend will know that as
:21:55. > :21:57.access to skills is key, and whilst I welcome what he said about the
:21:58. > :22:02.ploy is Forum, what more is the Government going to do to gdt more
:22:03. > :22:05.employers to recognise the potential of providing those skills and then
:22:06. > :22:12.the opportunities to employ ex-offenders on release? As a London
:22:13. > :22:15.MP, my honourable friend max have noted that a week or so ago, the
:22:16. > :22:21.Mayor of London pointed out that when employers hire ex-offenders,
:22:22. > :22:27.they report above-average commitment and loyalty. So, not only is this an
:22:28. > :22:31.important part of social responsibility, it is actually very
:22:32. > :22:35.good business sense. London is actually leading the way in this
:22:36. > :22:38.area, with more joined up work between local enterprise
:22:39. > :22:41.partnerships getting extra skills funding into prisons. I want to see
:22:42. > :22:46.what is happening in London spread across the whole of England and
:22:47. > :22:52.Wales. Mr Speaker, in November, I raised the issue of insurance
:22:53. > :22:57.premiums and the barrier th`t they pose to employment for ex-offenders.
:22:58. > :23:00.I am pleased that the minister has engaged in this issue, but H wonder,
:23:01. > :23:06.does he have an update for the House? I do indeed. The honourable
:23:07. > :23:12.gentleman is right to pursud this issue. One issue I have comd across
:23:13. > :23:19.recently is insurers just rdquesting a blanket stipulation that they have
:23:20. > :23:26.no ex-offenders on their prdmises. I am a former chartered insurdr, and I
:23:27. > :23:28.will be having a meeting with the Association of British Insurers
:23:29. > :23:33.shortly in order to challenge them on this issue, to see if th`t is
:23:34. > :23:39.really necessary. As a formdr underwriter myself, I suspect it
:23:40. > :23:44.probably isn't. The minister has talked of this morning about
:23:45. > :23:46.employment on release from prisons. Education and skills are crtcial to
:23:47. > :23:51.an offender's chance of makhng something of themselves and getting
:23:52. > :23:57.a job on release. But he adlitted in answer to a question that Prison
:23:58. > :24:03.Service anti-riot squads were drafted in on 339 occasions in the
:24:04. > :24:08.year to 9th of December 2014, an increase of 52% on the prevhous
:24:09. > :24:11.year. So does he accept that prison overcrowding, coupled with his
:24:12. > :24:16.governments cuts in resourcds, has led to a prison estate which is not
:24:17. > :24:19.fit for educational purpose? First of all, let me warmly congr`tulate
:24:20. > :24:24.the honourable lady on her new position. I look forward to debating
:24:25. > :24:29.these issues with her in thd months to come. She raises the isste of
:24:30. > :24:33.education and she is right to do so. It is a crucial part of getting
:24:34. > :24:38.offenders into work. But thd governments whole prison reform
:24:39. > :24:42.programme is front and centre of part of the answer to try and deal
:24:43. > :24:45.with the issues of violence and disorder which she has identified.
:24:46. > :24:52.More purposeful work, better education, better outcomes, better
:24:53. > :24:55.prisons. Hampshire's communhty rehabilitation company plays a vital
:24:56. > :24:59.role connecting prisons and offenders with local ploy is across
:25:00. > :25:03.the haven't constituency. Whll the minister join me in congrattlating
:25:04. > :25:06.them on their work and also to encourage more employers to
:25:07. > :25:11.contribute to job fairs run by members of this House? I certainly
:25:12. > :25:17.will. Get me warmly congrattlate my honourable friend not only on
:25:18. > :25:22.organising a jobs fair in hhs own constituency, a very practical way
:25:23. > :25:26.to help our constituents find work, but also realising that that jobs
:25:27. > :25:31.fair needs to be equally opdn to ex-offenders. He is leading the way
:25:32. > :25:35.and I hope others will follow. Before I called the honourable
:25:36. > :25:39.member for Barrow in Furness, I would remind the House that the
:25:40. > :25:45.Crown Prosecution Service is reconsidering this case and a second
:25:46. > :25:48.inquest is awaited. Members should take account of that in cardfully
:25:49. > :26:04.framing their remarks on thd matter. The death of poppy Worthington is
:26:05. > :26:11.deeply distressing and very tragic. I offer my sympathies to those who
:26:12. > :26:22.loved her and those who cardd for her. I am unable to comment on the
:26:23. > :26:26.decisions of the. There is nothing more important than keeping children
:26:27. > :26:30.safe. That is why the Government has given child sexual abuse thd status
:26:31. > :26:39.of a national threat in the strategic requirement. I th`nk the
:26:40. > :26:44.Minister for that answer. Otr community want accountability and it
:26:45. > :26:50.wants to see improvements in the services that have failed in these
:26:51. > :26:56.circumstances. Will she makd clear that there is no reason why the
:26:57. > :27:05.serious case review into Poppy Worthington's death and the report
:27:06. > :27:21.needs to be delayed, pending the second inquest being carried out.
:27:22. > :27:30.A second inquest should be done They are independent of Govdrnment
:27:31. > :27:41.and decide their own timesc`les I can confirm that neither ard
:27:42. > :27:44.required to wait upon the coroner. Community rehabilitation colpanies
:27:45. > :27:53.are responsible for supporthng any of their staff at risk of rddundancy
:27:54. > :27:58.in line with employment law. We are working closely with communhty
:27:59. > :28:02.rehabilitation companies to make sure they fulfil their contractual
:28:03. > :28:06.commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending,
:28:07. > :28:12.protect the public and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. There is
:28:13. > :28:19.the potential for 900 probation officers to be made compulsory
:28:20. > :28:23.redundant in the near futurd. These are the people who stood by the
:28:24. > :28:29.Government at a time when there was the traditional period. Thex
:28:30. > :28:33.shouldn't be penalised. Thex should be praised. Justice Secretary
:28:34. > :28:42.guarantee that these professionals receive four voluntary redundancies
:28:43. > :28:53.terms. -- full involuntary redundancy terms. I repeat what I
:28:54. > :28:57.said just now in that we will make sure the community rehabilitation
:28:58. > :29:01.companies comply with emploxment law as they are supposed to do. We
:29:02. > :29:05.closely monitor their performance in line with the contracts which they
:29:06. > :29:10.have signed but I can tell the honourable gentleman that l`st year
:29:11. > :29:14.there were 195 extra probathon officers qualified. We had 750
:29:15. > :29:18.probation officers in trainhng and that is the largest intact of
:29:19. > :29:27.probation officers for some considerable period of time. Our
:29:28. > :29:35.system of youth justice needs reform. Youth offending us down the
:29:36. > :29:38.care of youth offenders in custody is not good enough. There are
:29:39. > :29:42.concerns which are heightendd following Panorama's investhgation
:29:43. > :29:46.into events at the Medway sdcure training centre. In a statelent I
:29:47. > :29:50.have appointed an independent improvement board to investhgate
:29:51. > :29:56.what has happened in Medway and ensure the capability of G4S, and
:29:57. > :30:03.other organisations meet appropriate standards and that it is sufficient.
:30:04. > :30:06.The roll-out of the new minhmising and managing physical restr`int
:30:07. > :30:15.system has been delayed for a year. In 2013, there are 3000 ass`ult
:30:16. > :30:21.incidents in the secure state, a 7% increase even though the nulber of
:30:22. > :30:28.people in custody has raised. What is he doing to ensure that near --
:30:29. > :30:31.new systems are implemented? There has been a reduction in the number
:30:32. > :30:36.of young people in the youth estate but as the number has reducdd, so
:30:37. > :30:40.those remaining ten to be those who have been arrested for the lost
:30:41. > :30:43.violent crimes and to pose the greatest difficulties to those who
:30:44. > :30:48.have to care for them and those who have to keep them in custodx. It is
:30:49. > :30:52.important we ensure when restraint is applied, it is done so in a way
:30:53. > :30:57.that minimises risks to Ian Bugler but ensure safety can be restored.
:30:58. > :31:02.One of the purposes of the interviews is to make sure the
:31:03. > :31:10.workforce is trained to restrain young people and protect others I
:31:11. > :31:15.visited Swanwick Lodge, a sdcure home for ten to 17-year-olds in my
:31:16. > :31:21.constituency. Swanwick largd's work tackles the root causes that led to
:31:22. > :31:25.these young people's loss of education, substance misuse and
:31:26. > :31:32.early intervention. Will he explain what other measures are in place to
:31:33. > :31:36.tackle youth rehabilitation and reduce reoffending? Before she came
:31:37. > :31:40.into this house, she did a great deal of work to help disadv`ntaged
:31:41. > :31:45.children get better outcomes and she will know that some of thosd
:31:46. > :31:48.children who end up in trouble with the criminal just system, they grow
:31:49. > :31:52.up in homes where love has been absent or fleeting or when no one
:31:53. > :31:57.has cared enough to tell those children the difference between and
:31:58. > :32:00.wrong. The work conducted bx the Education Secretary and the work
:32:01. > :32:04.being led by the Local Government Secretary to tackle the problems of
:32:05. > :32:11.troubled families are integral to ensuring we will reduce the number
:32:12. > :32:17.of young people who fall into crime. It was obvious to those who watched
:32:18. > :32:22.the Panorama programme, that the G4S workforce was underqualified,
:32:23. > :32:28.undertrained and under pressure not to report incidents that should ve
:32:29. > :32:32.been reported because of thd threat to G4S's profits. Isn't it now time
:32:33. > :32:39.that we recognise that the lost difficult and vulnerable chhldren in
:32:40. > :32:43.our system should not be looked after by a profit driven
:32:44. > :32:50.organisation, but by properly trained and publicly accountable
:32:51. > :32:55.staff? I don't doubt his sincerity in is caring for these people. What
:32:56. > :33:00.happened in Medway was terrhble It is important to take on board the
:33:01. > :33:03.fact that there are private sector organisations including G4S which
:33:04. > :33:08.are responsible for the card of young offenders not least in
:33:09. > :33:11.Bridgend and they have been doing an exemplary job in other areas. It is
:33:12. > :33:15.quite wrong to draw conclushons about the private sector or the
:33:16. > :33:19.public sector. What matters is getting outcomes right for children
:33:20. > :33:27.and we should not on the back of human misery try to carry forward a
:33:28. > :33:31.narrow ideological argument. Will he congratulate a distinguished soldier
:33:32. > :33:35.for taking on the airborne initiative of the young offdnders
:33:36. > :33:39.institution in Portland does he agree that getting the appropriate
:33:40. > :33:45.young offenders out onto thd Moors for five testing days is an
:33:46. > :33:52.excellent scheme which our support? I couldn't agree more. I have to say
:33:53. > :33:54.the capacity of Cadet forces and military involvement turn round the
:33:55. > :33:58.lives of young men who find themselves in trouble and it has
:33:59. > :34:04.been tested over the years will stop everything we can do to support the
:34:05. > :34:14.Education Secretary and support Sir Rupert Smith and rescue the lives of
:34:15. > :34:18.young people, I think we should do. The allegations in the Panorama
:34:19. > :34:23.programme on the 11th of January about Medway secure training centre
:34:24. > :34:31.were truly appalling. I am glad the Secretary of State has listdned to
:34:32. > :34:40.the chief Insecta -- Inspector of prisons. The director of Medway has
:34:41. > :34:45.just resigned. The three STC's in England are run by G4S and following
:34:46. > :34:49.a damning inspection report, the contract was taken away frol G4S.
:34:50. > :34:53.This has nothing to do with ideology. On the basis of the
:34:54. > :34:58.evidence before us, will thd Government to take away G4S's Medway
:34:59. > :35:05.contract and will it ensure G4S is not awarded any future contracts? He
:35:06. > :35:10.is right. It is because these allegations are so serious that we
:35:11. > :35:14.have to investigate them properly. We will investigate what went on and
:35:15. > :35:21.ensure children are safe. When any organisation fails on the ddlivery
:35:22. > :35:25.of public services, we will take steps to remove that contract. If
:35:26. > :35:37.G4S have failed in this reg`rd, we will take all steps to keep children
:35:38. > :35:41.safe. I will answer this qudstion with question 15. Violence hn
:35:42. > :35:46.prisons has increased and the nature of offenders currently in ctstody
:35:47. > :35:49.and the widespread of portability of psychiatric substances have
:35:50. > :35:53.contributed to making prisons less safe. There is no single solution to
:35:54. > :36:00.improving safety in prisons but we are making process and trialling the
:36:01. > :36:03.sub body warmth cameras, brhnging in sniffer dogs but they are in a way
:36:04. > :36:08.to reduce violence is to give governors the tools to reformat and
:36:09. > :36:12.rehabilitate. One of the threats to safety inside prisons and ottside
:36:13. > :36:16.prisons is the ability of inmates to access mobile phones. On Frhday a
:36:17. > :36:21.seven prison and Rochester prison was sentenced to 12 years for
:36:22. > :36:27.arranging the supply of reactivated firearms via a mobile phone from his
:36:28. > :36:34.prison cell. Random checks `re only good enough and prison officers do
:36:35. > :36:40.their best but it now is tile to cut this and go for mobile phond jamming
:36:41. > :36:44.devices. He is absolutely rhght I can tell him we employ a nulber of
:36:45. > :36:48.measures and her body orifice scanning chairs, metal detecting
:36:49. > :36:56.ones, blockers and speciallx trained dogs. We need to refocus and
:36:57. > :37:00.redouble our efforts in this area, particularly around blockers and
:37:01. > :37:05.detectors and I can assure him that this is an area that the Secretary
:37:06. > :37:11.of State and I fully engaged in The safety of young people in otr prison
:37:12. > :37:15.state has been called into puestion by the Panorama programme rdgarding
:37:16. > :37:18.Medway secure training centre. What assurances can be provided that the
:37:19. > :37:24.safety of young people across the prison estate, not just in Ledway,
:37:25. > :37:27.is being prioritised? He will have heard the answer that the Sdcretary
:37:28. > :37:33.of State has just given to ` previous question on this issue I
:37:34. > :37:37.won't repeat that. We do take this issue extremely seriously and that
:37:38. > :37:41.is the reason why the Secretary of State is commissioned Charlhe
:37:42. > :37:45.Taylor, former Chief Executhve of the National College for School
:37:46. > :37:52.leadership, to conduct a review of youth justice and youth custody
:37:53. > :37:57.across the board. Not only safety at its heart but improved outcomes for
:37:58. > :38:06.young people in custody. Medway prison 's shows that good order and
:38:07. > :38:09.restraint can be exploited. Will the inquiry look into this across all
:38:10. > :38:15.prisons because I do not thhnk in this day and age it is appropriate?
:38:16. > :38:20.What I would say to the honourable lady, is that there are occ`sions in
:38:21. > :38:25.custody where for the safetx of the young person and for the safety of
:38:26. > :38:27.others, we do have to use rdstraint. The chief inspector has acknowledged
:38:28. > :38:34.that minimising and managing physical restraint is an
:38:35. > :38:39.improvement. That is only the case if it is used properly and hf it is
:38:40. > :38:51.used appropriately and not hf it is abused. We are very mindful of that.
:38:52. > :38:55.The ongoing chief inspector of prisons looked into Wormwood Scrubs
:38:56. > :38:59.and one cell was so unsafe com he said he would want to keep ` dog
:39:00. > :39:03.there. I know you can't teach an old dog new tricks that I wondered if
:39:04. > :39:14.you could tell us what is bding done to deal with the Tory prison crisis?
:39:15. > :39:18.What I would say is I hope she will be fair enough to recognise the fact
:39:19. > :39:24.that this Government has accepted that much of our prison est`te is
:39:25. > :39:27.simply not good enough. It hs too old, inappropriate and we c`n
:39:28. > :39:33.provide the education or thd work that we need to provide. Th`t is why
:39:34. > :39:36.the Chancellor has provided ?1. billion to build my new prisons in
:39:37. > :39:41.addition to the new prison we are building in North Wales and the new
:39:42. > :39:53.house blocks we have delivered and the further two blocks that we will
:39:54. > :40:00.deliver. With permission I will take an answer four questions 12 and 16
:40:01. > :40:04.together. I have met with m`ny international partners from the
:40:05. > :40:07.Council of Europe commission of human rights to the UN High
:40:08. > :40:15.Commissioner of human rights. The Justice Secretary has met whth many.
:40:16. > :40:19.These meetings are an important opportunity to reinforce Brhtain's
:40:20. > :40:23.proud tradition of promoting freedom and discuss how this comment intends
:40:24. > :40:27.to strengthen its both at home and abroad. I'm sure if it was just the
:40:28. > :40:32.Labour Party who are saying don t scrap the Human Rights Act, the
:40:33. > :40:37.minister could roll with it. Prince Zeid, when he met with him, did he
:40:38. > :40:41.say that the Government's proposals will be damaging to victims,
:40:42. > :40:47.contrary to the country's hhstory of global engagements and indedd many
:40:48. > :40:51.of their states would gleeftlly follow suit? Is it not important
:40:52. > :40:55.that we do listen to the Unhted Nations? He is right we shotld
:40:56. > :40:59.listen to our international partners. He did not say th`t to me
:41:00. > :41:04.at all. When we have these leetings, it is a good opportunity to discuss
:41:05. > :41:07.the reality of our plans for reform. I make clear our forthcoming bill of
:41:08. > :41:11.Rights proposal stay within the convention. I explained the abuses
:41:12. > :41:17.that we want to be rid of under the Human Rights Act. Some of the
:41:18. > :41:21.challenges we have allowed ts is to look at our common-sense reforms
:41:22. > :41:22.with some of the baseless scaremongering coming from some of
:41:23. > :41:34.our critics. The UN's special rapporteur on
:41:35. > :41:38.torture has spoken about pl`ns to replace the Human Rights Act with a
:41:39. > :41:41.Tory Bill of Rights, calling it a dangerous and pernicious and
:41:42. > :41:47.something which would set a very bad example to the rest of the world.
:41:48. > :41:51.Isn't he right? It is not rhght and I can tell him that with all the
:41:52. > :41:55.discussions I have had with all the UN officials who have passed through
:41:56. > :41:58.Westminster, nobody has ever used that kind of language in front of
:41:59. > :42:01.me, and I very much doubt that they would. Since when is it the practice
:42:02. > :42:08.of foreign legal and other dntities to decide the views and produce the
:42:09. > :42:13.sovereignty of this Parliamdnt and the electoral mandate we have to
:42:14. > :42:15.bring in a British Bill of Rights? It is a tragedy that the European
:42:16. > :42:20.Convention on Human Rights, which was founded by British people, has
:42:21. > :42:24.been distorted by perverse decisions such as trying to get an axd
:42:25. > :42:28.murderer to get the vote, which we have rejected. Isn't it timd we got
:42:29. > :42:30.on with our manifesto commitment to have a British Bill of Rights? My
:42:31. > :42:36.honourable friend is absolutely right. I would also point ott that
:42:37. > :42:42.the last Labour government had issues with the way the Str`sbourg
:42:43. > :42:45.court operated, too. They dhd not implement a prisoner voting. I do
:42:46. > :42:49.not remember the honourable member when he was a minister callhng for
:42:50. > :42:54.it to be implemented. Nor dhd they implemented the Abu Qatada judgment.
:42:55. > :42:57.Can the minister confirm th`t human rights have been part of our law in
:42:58. > :43:01.this country under the common law for many years, and that thdy will
:43:02. > :43:08.continue to be so after the repeal of the Human Rights Act, perhaps in
:43:09. > :43:12.a more modern and codified way? My honourable and Learned Friend is
:43:13. > :43:16.absolutely right. He have h`d a huge, long tradition and pedigree of
:43:17. > :43:20.respecting human rights, dating back to Magna Carta and before. We have
:43:21. > :43:24.protected human rights in this country before the European
:43:25. > :43:27.Convention, and certainly bdfore Labour's Human Rights Act, `nd we
:43:28. > :43:32.shall continue to do so in the years ahead. The minister is yet to issue
:43:33. > :43:35.his consultation on the repdal of the Human Rights Act and its
:43:36. > :43:39.replacement with a British Bill of Rights. But it is eight weeks now
:43:40. > :43:42.and to the Scottish Parliamdnt is dissolved and it goes into Purdy,
:43:43. > :43:46.and it is the same with Northern Ireland and Wales. Can I ask him to
:43:47. > :43:52.guarantee that he will not squash out Scotland, Northern Irel`nd and
:43:53. > :43:55.Wales from this important c`ll some patience by issuing his proposals
:43:56. > :44:03.before, or even worse, during the election period? Can he givd that
:44:04. > :44:09.guarantee? There will be no squashing out. We are already in
:44:10. > :44:13.detailed soundings and when we come to it, there will be full
:44:14. > :44:17.consultation with all the ddvolved administrations. In relation to the
:44:18. > :44:23.purdah issue, we will be mindful of the Cabinet Office guidelinds.
:44:24. > :44:26.Another perverse decision of the European Court of Human Rights was
:44:27. > :44:29.that on prisoner voting. Can the minister please confirm that there
:44:30. > :44:40.are absolutely no plans to change our laws on prisoner voting? I thank
:44:41. > :44:45.him for his question. As I have made clear to our partners in Strasbourg,
:44:46. > :44:48.it is for honourable members in this House to determine whether prisoners
:44:49. > :44:54.should be given the vote, and I see no prospect of that happening in the
:44:55. > :44:59.foreseeable future. When thd council of Europe commission of hum`n rights
:45:00. > :45:02.visited the United Kingdom last week, he said that the repe`tedly
:45:03. > :45:07.delayed launch of the consultation of the repeal of the Human Rights
:45:08. > :45:13.Act is, and I quote, creating an app must fear of anxiety and concern in
:45:14. > :45:17.civil society and within thd devolved administrations. -,
:45:18. > :45:19.creating an atmosphere. Will he now tell say exactly when the
:45:20. > :45:24.consultation will be published? As she already knows, I met with the
:45:25. > :45:27.commissioner last week and we spoke about these issues. There is no
:45:28. > :45:31.cause for anxiety. We will bring forward proposals for full
:45:32. > :45:36.consultation in the near future Those proposals are going wdll. She
:45:37. > :45:40.will hear more on that shortly. The commissioner also said, and I quote,
:45:41. > :45:44.my impression is that the ddbate over the Human Rights Act in
:45:45. > :45:49.Westminster is not a true rdflection of the debate outside England. Does
:45:50. > :45:54.the minister appreciate that the impact of any attempt to repeal the
:45:55. > :45:57.Human Rights Act on the devolved administrations would be likely to
:45:58. > :46:01.provoke a constitutional crhsis I think she is absolutely right to say
:46:02. > :46:04.that within the Westminster bubble, particularly if you look at some of
:46:05. > :46:09.the scaremongering, the deb`te is not reflective of wider public
:46:10. > :46:13.opinion outside of this House, which is consistently in favour of a Bill
:46:14. > :46:23.of Rights to replace the Hulan Rights Act, including, she will
:46:24. > :46:27.note, in Scotland. I want to see fewer women in the kernel jtstice
:46:28. > :46:31.system. That's why in partndrship with the equalities office we have
:46:32. > :46:34.made available ?200,000 of grant funding to add to the ?1 million
:46:35. > :46:39.already invested to support local pilots for female offenders. This is
:46:40. > :46:44.where multiple agencies work together and intervene earlher to
:46:45. > :46:50.help address the complexes reasons why women offend and to asshst them
:46:51. > :46:56.in turning their lives around. Does she agree that more needs to be done
:46:57. > :46:59.to steer vulnerable women away from crime, and can she update the House
:47:00. > :47:05.on how that is progressing `nd what more is being done to tackld this
:47:06. > :47:07.issue? The system approach H have outlined in straights this
:47:08. > :47:12.commitment to divert as manx women as possible from custody by
:47:13. > :47:16.addressing not only the causes of offending, which left unchecked
:47:17. > :47:21.software will spiral into potentially a prison sentence and
:47:22. > :47:24.the break down of families `nd children in care, which is why we
:47:25. > :47:30.will be announcing successftl bids for this pilot later in the week.
:47:31. > :47:34.Thank you very much. I have had occasion in this House to offer my
:47:35. > :47:39.thanks and gratitude to Nick Arnold wick, the outgoing Chief Inspector
:47:40. > :47:41.of Prisons, and Paul iron, the outgoing chief inspector of
:47:42. > :47:44.probation. But their experthse will not be lost because I can announce
:47:45. > :47:48.today that I am appointing Nick Arnold wick is the new Chair of the
:47:49. > :47:54.parole board. He will succedd the current Chair, and I would like to
:47:55. > :47:59.put on record my thanks to Sir David for what he has done in this role.
:48:00. > :48:06.My honourable friend the Cotrts Minister will know that last year I
:48:07. > :48:08.wrote a report on form of sdrvice personnel in the cruel justhce
:48:09. > :48:13.system, which recommended along other things, training of pdople in
:48:14. > :48:16.the bar and for solicitors `nd judges to deal with this sm`ll
:48:17. > :48:20.cohort of offenders. What steps is my honourable friend taking to make
:48:21. > :48:25.sure that court staff receive appropriate training to deal with
:48:26. > :48:30.these individuals? He makes an important point. We know th`t he is
:48:31. > :48:35.a distinguished veteran as well as being an outstanding... He produced
:48:36. > :48:40.an excellent report on offenders who have been in the Armed Forcds. Court
:48:41. > :48:43.staff are trained to deal whth the specific needs of veterans `nd we
:48:44. > :48:46.are aware that there are particular needs which may relate to nded
:48:47. > :48:49.post-traumatic stress disorder and associated mental health concerns,
:48:50. > :49:02.which court staff need to bd sensitive to. Could I commend the
:49:03. > :49:07.Secretary of State for his appointment of Nick Hardwick to the
:49:08. > :49:10.Parole Board? Exactly a year ago, my right honourable friend the member
:49:11. > :49:14.for Tooting, with his usual proceedings, said the new ldgal aid
:49:15. > :49:18.contracts were making pigs dar of access to justice and should be
:49:19. > :49:24.abandoned. Will the Secretary of State confirm the Pressel ports that
:49:25. > :49:29.he is about to do just that? Can I thank the honourable gentlelan for
:49:30. > :49:33.his praise for temp -- for Nick Hardwick? It is precisely bdcause
:49:34. > :49:37.Nick Hardwick has spoken without fear or favour and has been such an
:49:38. > :49:40.honest critic that I believd he is the right person to discharge this
:49:41. > :49:45.role. I am sure he will appreciate the bipartisan support. On legal aid
:49:46. > :49:49.contracts, it has been the case that we have had to reduce the spend on
:49:50. > :49:53.legal aid, in order to deal with the deficit which we inherited. But also
:49:54. > :49:59.we maintain more generously delayed in this country than in any other
:50:00. > :50:02.competent jurisdiction. Diddrot at the justice select committed, the
:50:03. > :50:07.Master of the Rolls describdd fee increases affecting civil lhtigants
:50:08. > :50:11.as a desperate way of carryhng on, based on hopeless research. He
:50:12. > :50:15.laughed when asked by the honourable member for chop them if there was
:50:16. > :50:18.anything in the governments. Which stood up to scrutiny. It is another
:50:19. > :50:29.car crash. Is it time for another U-turn? I can hear music from the
:50:30. > :50:32.zephyrs, words from the honourable member for Cheltenham, suggdsting
:50:33. > :50:34.that were once the honourable member might be misinformed of what
:50:35. > :50:40.precisely happened in the sdlect committee. But one thing I would say
:50:41. > :50:44.is, one of the biggest barrhers to justice, as the master of the Rolls
:50:45. > :50:48.and others have pointed out, are costs. Action needs to be t`ken to
:50:49. > :50:52.reduce costs in civil justice. It is not enough simply to say th`t the
:50:53. > :50:55.taxpayer must shoulder the burden. We need reform of our legal system
:50:56. > :51:00.in order to make access to justice easier for all. I know that my right
:51:01. > :51:03.honourable friend regards access to justice as a clear priority. With
:51:04. > :51:08.this in mind and given the large area of north-east Cheshire which
:51:09. > :51:13.will be without easy access to a court under the consultation, can he
:51:14. > :51:16.tell the House what progress is being made in considering the
:51:17. > :51:22.Macclesfield proposal for a single, combined across field justice
:51:23. > :51:26.centre? May I first of all thank my honourable friend for the mdeting
:51:27. > :51:29.that we had and for presenthng the justice centre report which he gave
:51:30. > :51:32.to me along with his constituent. He will be aware that we are ghving
:51:33. > :51:36.serious consideration to th`t report and indeed to the 2000-plus
:51:37. > :51:42.submissions made in that consultation regarding which we will
:51:43. > :51:47.be making our response soon. Women's aid last week published a rdport
:51:48. > :51:50.entitled 19 childhood asides. It tells the story of 19 children, two
:51:51. > :51:55.mothers, killed by unknown perpetrators of domestic abtse in
:51:56. > :51:59.circumstances related to thd unsafe child contact. How will the
:52:00. > :52:02.department helped to make stre that no further avoidable child deaths
:52:03. > :52:04.will take place where the perpetrators of domestic abtse have
:52:05. > :52:08.been allowed contact through the family court? We take
:52:09. > :52:13.extraordinarily seriously concerns about child safety. I know that my
:52:14. > :52:16.colleague the minister who hs responsible for family law has been
:52:17. > :52:19.in touch with charities who work in this area in the past. We whll make
:52:20. > :52:25.sure that we pay close attention to this report. Does my right
:52:26. > :52:30.honourable friend share my `nger and that of my constituent whosd son was
:52:31. > :52:36.tragically killed while serving his country in Afghanistan? Law firms
:52:37. > :52:39.which are heavily involved hn actions against Veterans Dax and
:52:40. > :52:43.serving them as of our armed forces, and what action can the govdrnment
:52:44. > :52:46.take to close down this indtstry, which is causing so much unnecessary
:52:47. > :52:51.distress to our Armed Forces and their families? We share my right
:52:52. > :52:55.honourable friend's concerns. He will be aware of the prime linisters
:52:56. > :52:58.early announcement on Fridax. The professionalism of our Armed Forces
:52:59. > :53:03.is second to none. But we c`nnot have returning troops hounddd by
:53:04. > :53:06.ambulance chasing lawyers ptrsuing spurious claims. The Justicd
:53:07. > :53:11.Secretary has asked me to Chair a working groups to look at all
:53:12. > :53:13.aspects of this, no Win no fee, leader labels, time limits `nd
:53:14. > :53:19.disciplinary sanctions against law firms who are found to be abusing
:53:20. > :53:24.the system, so that we prevdnt any malicious or parasitic litigation
:53:25. > :53:29.against our brave Armed Forces. Can the minister confirm Hamley times
:53:30. > :53:32.contract breaches at G4S establishments have occurred under
:53:33. > :53:35.the contract with his department, and what amount in fines have been
:53:36. > :53:41.incurred and by G4S in respdct of those breaches? I do not have the
:53:42. > :53:48.detailed information. If shd will allow me, I will write to hdr with
:53:49. > :53:52.details. My right honourabld friend is aware of the very serious
:53:53. > :53:55.problems associated with radicalisation in our prisons. Can
:53:56. > :54:01.he update the House on what steps are being taken to tackle this? I
:54:02. > :54:06.understand my honourable frhend s proper interest in this subject As
:54:07. > :54:13.the threat evolves, we evolve our response. We are strengthenhng the
:54:14. > :54:16.training for new prison offhcers and we make sure they are able to tackle
:54:17. > :54:21.criminal activity in whatevdr form within prison. The Secretarx of
:54:22. > :54:27.State has asked the departmdnt to review its approach to dealhng with
:54:28. > :54:33.Islamist extra that's prisons and we await that report shortly. ,-
:54:34. > :54:38.Islamist extremism in prisons. Just two weeks ago, he said, our system
:54:39. > :54:42.of justice has just become unaffordable to most. Will the
:54:43. > :54:48.Secretary of State take heed of these comments and also, it to
:54:49. > :54:53.abolition of tribunal fees, following the SNP lead? I t`ke very
:54:54. > :54:57.seriously everything the Lord Chief Justice says. I am delighted to be
:54:58. > :55:01.able to work with him on a programme of court reform which should make
:55:02. > :55:03.access to justice swifter, lore certain and cheaper. It is hmportant
:55:04. > :55:09.that we learn from different jurisdictions. One thing I would say
:55:10. > :55:12.is that even as we look to Scotland from time to time to see wh`t we can
:55:13. > :55:17.learn from the development of the law there, it is also important that
:55:18. > :55:20.from time to time, those ch`rged with what happens in Scottish courts
:55:21. > :55:24.should look at the tradition of English justice fell as a Scotsman
:55:25. > :55:29.myself I would have to acknowledge has certain better elements. Would
:55:30. > :55:34.he agree with me that improving the mental health of prisoners should be
:55:35. > :55:36.a top priority? Specificallx when a prisoner is released from prison
:55:37. > :55:40.with a known mental health condition that there should be close liaison
:55:41. > :55:46.between the prison 40s, loc`l GPs and health services, to put a care
:55:47. > :55:49.plan in place? My honourabld friend is absolutely right. Let me pay
:55:50. > :55:53.tribute to his long interest and great expertise in this isste. He
:55:54. > :55:58.will probably know that loc`l commissioning groups in England and
:55:59. > :56:02.the local health boards in Wales are responsible for services in the
:56:03. > :56:08.community. NHS health care staff in prisons are responsible there. It is
:56:09. > :56:09.their job to make sure that services provided in the prison are followed
:56:10. > :56:23.through in the community. Will he work with the Immigration
:56:24. > :56:29.Minister to make sure migrant families will be evicted without a
:56:30. > :56:35.court order is contrary to the right of law and must be urgently
:56:36. > :56:46.reconsidered? I enjoyed meeting with the Home Secretary and we mtst
:56:47. > :56:51.ensure that we look at our borders. Immigration across the EU is not
:56:52. > :56:56.being effectively controlled. We will take measures to keep our
:56:57. > :57:01.borders secure and I thought it would be in the interests of every
:57:02. > :57:07.citizen of the UK to take p`rt in that fight. Further to the puestion,
:57:08. > :57:13.does my right honourable frhend agree that people in this house will
:57:14. > :57:24.find it despicable that two firms, possibly more, are actively seeking
:57:25. > :57:27.people in Iraq to make bogus claims against our servicemen overseas
:57:28. > :57:32.Will he rejects reports in newspapers that we still intend to
:57:33. > :57:40.give legal aid to these app`lling claims? I thank the honourable
:57:41. > :57:44.gentleman. I am concerned about the way the system operates and it is
:57:45. > :57:48.important we should say that there is accountability of any wrongdoing.
:57:49. > :57:53.That doesn't mean giving lawyers a licence to harass our Armed Forces.
:57:54. > :57:57.We will be looking at every angle as well as no-win, no fee and `s well
:57:58. > :58:04.as disciplinary powers against lawyers who try to abuse thd system.
:58:05. > :58:07.In 2012, the department spent millions refurbishing Saint Helen 's
:58:08. > :58:11.courthouse to accommodate chvil and criminal proceedings in the same
:58:12. > :58:15.building declaring it was logical. Are we to assume that four xears
:58:16. > :58:19.later, considering the closd of the same courthouse is illogical and
:58:20. > :58:26.inefficient or would he likd to rule it out today? May I say that no
:58:27. > :58:31.final decisions have been t`ken and we are taking into account ` whole
:58:32. > :58:33.variety of reasons and this is a consultation concerning 91 courts
:58:34. > :58:40.throughout England and Wales to make our system better and one of the
:58:41. > :58:44.best in the world. Following on from my honourable friend, what steps are
:58:45. > :58:47.being taken to ensure all prisons with mental health issues are dealt
:58:48. > :58:55.with safely, appropriately `nd compassionately? I am glad ly
:58:56. > :58:59.honourable friend has raised this issue. And every prisoner comes into
:59:00. > :59:04.prison, they have a full he`lth assessment. That health practitioner
:59:05. > :59:12.has the ability to refer to the prison's in reach services. We now
:59:13. > :59:15.have either learning disability or mental health nurses available at
:59:16. > :59:18.police stations and in courts so we can start that mental health
:59:19. > :59:25.treatment at the beginning of their journey in the criminal system. I
:59:26. > :59:29.had the secretary will meet with me to discuss my justice for vhctims of
:59:30. > :59:34.criminal driving bill. Can H point out that the consultation on this
:59:35. > :59:37.did start on the 6th of May 200 and 14. It is a long time that we will
:59:38. > :59:47.not hear anything back until later on in this year. I am grateful for
:59:48. > :59:52.that this incident -- assistant way in which he has campaigned for this.
:59:53. > :59:55.We will be discussing the c`se for change as there was widesprdad
:59:56. > :00:00.agreement that we did need change but not what change. We will get
:00:01. > :00:05.back to him in due course. Given the rate of reoffending, would ht not be
:00:06. > :00:09.better to improve rehabilit`tion rather than incarceration,
:00:10. > :00:12.especially in relation to shorten prison sentences? He makes `
:00:13. > :00:17.powerful point and few know more about what happens in our courts as
:00:18. > :00:21.he does. It is important th`t would put an emphasis on rehabilitation
:00:22. > :00:25.but it is also important th`t we give all our citizens the sdcurity
:00:26. > :00:28.of knowing that those peopld who pose a real threat to us ard
:00:29. > :00:34.incapacitated behind bars and receiving the punishment th`t they
:00:35. > :00:38.deserve the most heinous crhmes Past week, the Public Accounts
:00:39. > :00:41.Committee heard about the infrastructure authority and he was
:00:42. > :00:45.asked what the three projects were that kept him worried and they
:00:46. > :00:50.caught's programme was one of them. Add that the list of a tagghng and
:00:51. > :00:57.translation service and the concerns around probation and prisons, is the
:00:58. > :01:06.secretary of this -- Secret`ry of State worried that his camp`ign not
:01:07. > :01:13.cope with this? I will offer him another cup of cocoa to enable him
:01:14. > :01:24.to sleep as well as I do. Hd has gone native in record time,
:01:25. > :01:27.including hanging off every word that the Nu T says. Will thd
:01:28. > :01:36.Secretary of State get back his Mojo and put the victims of crimd at the
:01:37. > :01:40.heart of what he is doing? Come back Ken Clarke, all is forgiven. I am
:01:41. > :01:46.not sure our members on the opposite benches would agree I have become a
:01:47. > :01:52.sandal wearing muesli munchhng Cregan vague stuff. They will say I
:01:53. > :01:56.am the same blue Tory that H always have been. It is because I `m a
:01:57. > :02:00.conservative that I believe in the rule of law as the foundation of our
:02:01. > :02:08.civilisation and I believe that evil must be punished. It is also because
:02:09. > :02:13.I believe in redemption and I think the purpose of our prison sxstem is
:02:14. > :02:24.to keep people safe by making people better. We have learned abott his
:02:25. > :02:29.personal habits and religiots beliefs and are better off. The
:02:30. > :02:36.Prime Minister agreed to medt with me about the baby Ashes scandal My
:02:37. > :02:39.constituent had a helpful mdeting but I wondered if the Parli`mentary
:02:40. > :02:42.Secretary of State will help me to get that meeting that the Prime
:02:43. > :02:52.Minister agreed to and if I could list her support? We are cldar about
:02:53. > :02:55.what happened and it should never happened again, which is whx the
:02:56. > :02:58.honourable lady will know wd have launched our consultation in
:02:59. > :03:01.December which will concludd in March and stop I will be happy to
:03:02. > :03:06.make that representation on her behalf. The honourable gentleman
:03:07. > :03:17.hasn't had a question and I would like to have one. The Minister will
:03:18. > :03:23.be aware of the closure of Torbay Magistrates' Court. Willie helped
:03:24. > :03:28.keep justice local in the B`y? I hear the message that my honourable
:03:29. > :03:33.friend is saying and we havd met and corresponded and I am giving serious
:03:34. > :03:37.consideration to all that is being put forward. Urgent question, Heidi
:03:38. > :03:49.Alexander. To ask the Secretary of State for
:03:50. > :03:53.Health if he will make a st`tement on NHS England's report into the
:03:54. > :04:04.death of William Mead and the failures of the 111 how -- helpline.
:04:05. > :04:08.This tragic case concerns the death of a one-year-old boy, Willham Mead,
:04:09. > :04:13.on the 14th of December 2014 in Cornwall. Whilst any health system
:04:14. > :04:17.will inevitably suffer some tragedies, the issues raised in this
:04:18. > :04:21.case have significant implications for the rest of the NHS which I am
:04:22. > :04:25.determined we should learn from I would like to offer my sincdre
:04:26. > :04:27.condolences to the family of William Mead.