:00:00. > :00:14.Good morning and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the
:00:15. > :00:17.Commons. In an hour, an urgdnt question is being asked abott the
:00:18. > :00:21.Battle of Orgreave, it follows yesterday's decision by the Home
:00:22. > :00:26.Secretary not to grant an inquiry into events. Today, the Homd Office
:00:27. > :00:30.Minister, Brandon Lewis, is replying to the urgent question. Then, the
:00:31. > :00:35.Culture Secretary, Karen Br`dley, will be making a statement to MPs on
:00:36. > :00:39.press matters. The main bushness of the day in the Commons is
:00:40. > :00:44.consideration of changes made in the House of Lords to the investigatory
:00:45. > :00:49.powers Bill. Peers supported an amendment making financial support
:00:50. > :00:52.available for people who have phone hacking complaints against the
:00:53. > :00:57.press. Don't forget to join me for a round-up of the day in both Houses
:00:58. > :01:01.of Parliament at 11 o'clock tonight. First, it's questions to thd Justice
:01:02. > :01:08.Secretary Liz Truss and her ministerial team.
:01:09. > :01:12.THE SPEAKER: Order, order. Puestions to the Secretary of State for
:01:13. > :01:20.Justice. Victoria Prentice. Number one, please, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker,
:01:21. > :01:25.with your permission, I would like to group questions one, 12 `nd 6.
:01:26. > :01:30.Last week's violent statisthcs show the serious issues we have hn our
:01:31. > :01:33.prisons, including a 43% rise in the number of attacks on officers. This
:01:34. > :01:38.is unacceptable and I'm detdrmined to tackle it. I've already `nnounced
:01:39. > :01:41.an investment of ?14 million in ten of our most challenging prisons and
:01:42. > :01:45.I'll be saying more in the launch of the White Paper shortly.
:01:46. > :01:53.THE SPEAKER: Just before we take the question, I'm very pleased to
:01:54. > :01:58.announce that today we are joined by the Prime Minister of the Thbetan
:01:59. > :02:00.government in exile. It's a pleasure and privilege, Sir, to welcome you
:02:01. > :02:06.to the House of Commons. Victoria Prentice? Thank you, Mr Spe`ker and
:02:07. > :02:12.what an honour that is. Mr Speaker, we welcome the commitment of the
:02:13. > :02:20.Secretary of State to prison reform, but we are concerned by the recent
:02:21. > :02:25.statistics that she mentiondd, not just in relation to safety of prison
:02:26. > :02:29.workers, but also in relation to vulnerable prisoners. Could she tell
:02:30. > :02:32.us what steps she's going to take to improve assessment and scredning so
:02:33. > :02:36.that those people can be iddntified at the beginning of their sdntence?
:02:37. > :02:40.I thank my right honourable friend for her question and she's
:02:41. > :02:43.absolutely right. I'm extrelely concerned about the level of
:02:44. > :02:49.self-harm which is particul`rly high in the women's estate. We know that
:02:50. > :02:54.the first 24 hours are absolutely vital and we are already taking
:02:55. > :02:58.steps to provide prisoners with immediate mental health support and
:02:59. > :03:04.next year we'll bringious a strategy on women offenders.
:03:05. > :03:07.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given the level of violence in Lewis prison
:03:08. > :03:14.over the weekend, could the Secretary of State update the house
:03:15. > :03:19.on what steps have been takdn to increase staffing levels and
:03:20. > :03:22.prevention for this happening again? The incident has been resolved and
:03:23. > :03:26.the prison remains secure whth no threat to the public. My right
:03:27. > :03:29.honourable friend, the prisons minister, spoke to the Governor
:03:30. > :03:33.offering him support and thd staff support and we are going to make
:03:34. > :03:36.sure we do have sufficient staff in that prison and I'll have more to
:03:37. > :03:41.say about staffing when we launch the White Paper.
:03:42. > :03:48.Helen Jones? The number of frontline prison officers has fallen by over
:03:49. > :03:51.30% under this Government. Her own department statistics show `
:03:52. > :03:54.correlation between those ctts and increased levels of violencd in
:03:55. > :03:58.prison. Does the honourable lady now accept that what she has announced
:03:59. > :04:03.goes no way to solving thosd problems and there needs to be a
:04:04. > :04:07.thorough investigation into the safe levels of staffing required in our
:04:08. > :04:10.prisons? I thank the honourable lady for her
:04:11. > :04:14.question and I have acknowlddged that we do have a serious issue I
:04:15. > :04:21.think we have to recognise there have been a number of causes. The
:04:22. > :04:26.prison and probation ombudslan said that the emergence of dangerous
:04:27. > :04:29.psychoactive stances was a game-changer. We are also t`king
:04:30. > :04:32.measures to put in proper tdsting for that. We announced that in
:04:33. > :04:35.September. But I do acknowlddge there is an issue with staffing
:04:36. > :04:40.which is why I've already t`ken steps in ten of the most ch`llenging
:04:41. > :04:45.prisons to increase the levdls of staffling and that's why we are due
:04:46. > :04:50.to do more in the White Papdr. Thank you, Mr Speaker. If in
:04:51. > :04:53.addition to the staffing cuts my right honourable friend has
:04:54. > :04:58.mentioned, there's also the problem of prison officer detention. The 400
:04:59. > :05:03.staff she's indicated she's going to increase the numbers by are being
:05:04. > :05:07.lost by the number of peopld leaving because we have experienced staff
:05:08. > :05:14.leaving and experienced prisoners now running prisons. I thank the hog
:05:15. > :05:17.for his question -- the honourable gentleman for his question. He's
:05:18. > :05:21.right. As well as recruiting prison officers, we have to retain our
:05:22. > :05:25.fantastic prison officers. Dvery prison I visit I meet fantastic
:05:26. > :05:28.people who've come into the service to turn people's lives around. I
:05:29. > :05:33.want to encourage more people to become prison officers. That's why
:05:34. > :05:36.we launched a programme abott the former armed services personnel
:05:37. > :05:44.coming into the service and we are going to be announcing more about
:05:45. > :05:47.recruitment shortly. Part of taking the important steps, the Select
:05:48. > :05:52.Committee's recommendation hs that we should be able to transp`rently
:05:53. > :05:57.measure performance by publhshing and making available the kex data on
:05:58. > :06:00.disorder, staffing and turnover and reasons for turnover, the n`tional
:06:01. > :06:03.offender management service ratings, including those for the indhvidual
:06:04. > :06:10.prisons and activity, the alount of time each prisoner is out of cell or
:06:11. > :06:15.in cell and what they are doing I thank the chairman of the Sdlect
:06:16. > :06:18.Committee. He's absolutely right. We need clear transparent data and
:06:19. > :06:23.metrics to be able to understand what is happening in our prhson
:06:24. > :06:27.system. I'll be outlining more detail when we launched the White
:06:28. > :06:32.Paper. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Suichde in
:06:33. > :06:36.prisons are at record levels. Self-harm and violence is soaring.
:06:37. > :06:40.The situation in female prisons is now worse than it was a dec`de ago.
:06:41. > :06:45.The Government's own statistics show that death in prison, England and
:06:46. > :06:49.Wales has risen to almost one a day, a record high of 324 in the last 12
:06:50. > :06:53.months. Does the minister rdcognise that cutting staff and prison
:06:54. > :06:57.budgets whilst a number of people behind bars grows unchecked, has
:06:58. > :07:02.created a toxic mix of violdnce death and human misery?
:07:03. > :07:11.What I do agree with the honourable lady on is that we do need to act on
:07:12. > :07:14.these very problematic stathstics and particularly the high ldvels of
:07:15. > :07:17.suicide and self-harm. One of the ten prisons to which we havd given
:07:18. > :07:22.additional money to staffing is a woman's prison and we are looking
:07:23. > :07:25.more widely at how we make sure women offenders get the support they
:07:26. > :07:29.need. Many come into prison with mental health issues, many have
:07:30. > :07:33.suffered abuse in the past `nd I want to make sure that thosd
:07:34. > :07:37.offenders get the proper support they need to be able to turn their
:07:38. > :07:42.lives around. I hear what the Secretary of State
:07:43. > :07:46.has to say about the funding for the ten prisons, but Pentonvilld just
:07:47. > :07:49.last week had a stabbing and two persons injured, they were not
:07:50. > :07:57.covered in the ten prisons, so can I ask her, in light of the evdnts in
:07:58. > :08:00.the prison at the weekend, `nd what the Prison Governors' Assochation
:08:01. > :08:05.have said, that we need mord than the 400 extra officers in tdn
:08:06. > :08:09.prisons, that will she listdn to the prison Governors and officers
:08:10. > :08:15.association about the failing on prison staffing? Well, I colpletely
:08:16. > :08:21.agree with the honourable l`dy that we do have a serious issue with
:08:22. > :08:26.violence and levels of suichde which I'm absolutely determined to
:08:27. > :08:34.address. It's my number one priority and may I express my sincerd
:08:35. > :08:38.condolences for the family of Yamal Mahmood who unfortunately dhed in
:08:39. > :08:43.Pentonville. We do need to `ddress the issues. That is why I'vd made an
:08:44. > :08:45.immediate start in ten of the most challenging prisons and I'll be
:08:46. > :08:50.outlining more in the White Paper. I think we all need to recognhse that
:08:51. > :08:54.this is a serious issue that has numerous causes, including the rise
:08:55. > :08:59.of Sako active substances. Ht's going to take time to turn the
:09:00. > :09:03.situation around. It takes lonths to train up prison officers, btt we
:09:04. > :09:06.have developed and are going to be launching a comprehensive strategy
:09:07. > :09:11.to address that. I want our prisons to be places of safety but `lso
:09:12. > :09:13.places of reform where we address reoffending and make our society as
:09:14. > :09:18.a whole... THE SPEAKER: Extremely gratdful to
:09:19. > :09:25.the Secretary of State. Fiona Mactaggart? Number two, Mr Speaker.
:09:26. > :09:34.G4S have operated court custody suites in England and Wales since
:09:35. > :09:39.2011. I ask this question bdcause in dust disuites, very vulnerable
:09:40. > :09:42.people are held, many have committed suicide and that translates into
:09:43. > :09:46.their presence in prisons where there have been more deaths in
:09:47. > :09:51.custody than there have been more many years as the Secretary of State
:09:52. > :09:56.has just acknowledged. Incltding a higher number of women killhng
:09:57. > :10:01.themselves than at any time since the Report. What I would like to
:10:02. > :10:12.know is, where we know what's gone wrong, through reports of coroner's
:10:13. > :10:18.courts or through the Report that's just come out, why aren't things
:10:19. > :10:21.happening, have the Reports been read?
:10:22. > :10:25.THE SPEAKER: We are slow, wd need to make progross. They are all fully
:10:26. > :10:30.investigated by the independent probation and prison only bounds man
:10:31. > :10:33.and subject to a coroner's hnquest. With regards to women prisoners as
:10:34. > :10:38.the Secretary of State rightly pointed out, there are a nulber of
:10:39. > :10:41.women in prison who've been victims of crime themselves and are
:10:42. > :10:46.incredibly vulnerable peopld in society. In addition to moddrnising
:10:47. > :10:49.the women's estate, we are `lso looking at diversion tactics to make
:10:50. > :10:54.sure that they do not end up in the criminal justice system in the first
:10:55. > :10:58.place. Which country in the world has the
:10:59. > :11:07.fewest deaths in custody and what lessons are we learning frol them?
:11:08. > :11:10.I'm afraid I cannot answer the exact country with the fewest deaths in
:11:11. > :11:16.custody but what I can say hs that in this country we do work to have
:11:17. > :11:20.decent and humane prisons, we are part of the UN protocols and that's
:11:21. > :11:24.what we work on. The Secret`ry of State's rightly pointed out that the
:11:25. > :11:27.rise in deaths in custody is too high, that's why we are bringing
:11:28. > :11:32.forward a safety and reform plan in our White Paper very shortlx.
:11:33. > :11:38.Number three, Mr Speaker. Sdcretary of State? I share my honour`ble
:11:39. > :11:41.friend's concerns about what's happened to HMP Chelmsford, I can
:11:42. > :11:45.confirm it's one of the ten prisons for which we are training up
:11:46. > :11:48.additional officers. This whll provide a 30% increase in officers
:11:49. > :11:56.to help tackle the scourges of bullying and drug abuse.
:11:57. > :12:00.Simon Burns? I welcome that answer, particularly it's crucial that more
:12:01. > :12:06.is done to eliminate bullying in the prison. On the question of drug
:12:07. > :12:13.abuse, can the minister confirm are sniffer dogs being used on ` regular
:12:14. > :12:16.basis, not only on the inmates in the prison, but also all types of
:12:17. > :12:21.people entering and leaving the prison?
:12:22. > :12:27.I thank my honourable friend for the question. I can confirm it hs
:12:28. > :12:33.happening. We have trained `t the 300 sniffer dogs to be able to
:12:34. > :12:36.detect new psychoactive substances on the testing has been rolled out
:12:37. > :12:44.across the prison estate in September. I do say gently to the
:12:45. > :12:46.honourable member that I'm sure his constituency has many magnificent
:12:47. > :12:53.merits but it's a long way from Chelmsford.
:12:54. > :13:02.The coalition government promised parts one and two of the legal aid
:13:03. > :13:06.sentencing and management of offenders act, and we remain
:13:07. > :13:14.committed to undertaking th`t review. We are grateful to the
:13:15. > :13:22.Courts Minister. The honour`ble learner gentleman wishes to take it
:13:23. > :13:27.with number 15? -- learn it. Well it is very good of him to be whlling to
:13:28. > :13:32.do what he asked me for perlission to do. Extraordinarily grachous of
:13:33. > :13:36.the honourable gentleman. I thank the Minister of his answer but the
:13:37. > :13:40.report this October raised concerns that it acted as a barrier to access
:13:41. > :13:46.to justice for victims of domestic violence. The regulations are
:13:47. > :13:52.restricted and narrow and h`ve led to a 16% drop in application and a
:13:53. > :13:56.17% drop in applications gr`nted. Is it not time the Secretary of State
:13:57. > :14:01.admitted that it is denying access to justice for thousands and it
:14:02. > :14:04.should be offended. It is ilportant that legal aid is available for
:14:05. > :14:09.victims of domestic violencd, particularly those seeking
:14:10. > :14:13.protection through injunctions. As far as the evidence requirelents, in
:14:14. > :14:17.April we more than doubled the time limit on evidence from two tp to
:14:18. > :14:21.five years and we have introduced a provision to allow the legal aid
:14:22. > :14:24.agency to grant legal aid if satisfied that an application
:14:25. > :14:29.demonstrates financial abusd, so this is something important and
:14:30. > :14:31.something that has been raised in the light of experience over the
:14:32. > :14:37.last two or three years and it's something we will continue to
:14:38. > :14:40.monster -- monitor. Access to justice and legal aid are phllars of
:14:41. > :14:44.the welfare state and almost one third of legal aid areas in England
:14:45. > :14:48.and Wales have one or no hotsing advice providers, including the
:14:49. > :14:52.legal aid area covering my constituency. One provider hs not
:14:53. > :14:56.enough. So what steps will the government take to ensure that there
:14:57. > :15:03.are at least two providers for each area? It's important to recognise
:15:04. > :15:07.that this is an area which has legal aid and is in with them -- within
:15:08. > :15:13.the scope, housing cases whdre a home is at risk. As far as the Law
:15:14. > :15:20.Society raising concerns about this, as the honourable gentleman will no,
:15:21. > :15:23.there are some parts of the country in the country where there `re few,
:15:24. > :15:29.so what we have done, through the legal aid agency, we have m`de sure
:15:30. > :15:36.of adequate provision of advice around the country. There are some
:15:37. > :15:40.places where one firm is providing a range of offices and functions
:15:41. > :15:43.across quite a number of clhents, and other areas where the
:15:44. > :15:48.circumstances only really rdquire that they should be something like a
:15:49. > :15:54.telephone hotline, which thdre is. The provision being made is what is
:15:55. > :16:00.needed. There seems to be conflicting reports as to the
:16:01. > :16:03.government position on raishng the cost of personal injury clahms from
:16:04. > :16:10.?1000 up to ?5,000 and I'd be grateful to hear the governlent
:16:11. > :16:13.position. I'm grateful to mx honourable friend for raising what
:16:14. > :16:16.is an important point and hd will know that the government has been
:16:17. > :16:20.looking at the issue. I don't think we've made a formal announcdment on
:16:21. > :16:28.it yet, and therefore I will write to him giving him the latest
:16:29. > :16:33.position. What assessment h`s the Minister made over the recent report
:16:34. > :16:36.from Amnesty International which has found that insufficient resources
:16:37. > :16:45.for legal aid is creating a two tier judicial system. It is important we
:16:46. > :16:48.should have legal aid avail`ble in the most serious cases, and the most
:16:49. > :16:53.serious cases are those where life or liberty is involved and cases
:16:54. > :16:58.where a person's home is at risk and where there is domestic violence and
:16:59. > :17:01.cases involving children. C`ses where perhaps they are taken away
:17:02. > :17:08.from their families and that is what the legal aid provision is, the one
:17:09. > :17:11.that we have here. As far as the honourable ladies concerned, she
:17:12. > :17:18.claims that is a two tier sxstem but we claim it is one targeted on need.
:17:19. > :17:23.I want to declare an indirect interest as my wife is a legally
:17:24. > :17:29.aided solicitor and part-tile judge. The previous Lord Chancellor
:17:30. > :17:33.promised a review last time, but frankly it has not worked and is a
:17:34. > :17:41.complete and utter shambles. It needs a review urgently, and when
:17:42. > :17:44.will it be properly reviewed? As the honourable gentleman knows, a
:17:45. > :17:52.promise was made that it wotld be reviewed within three years and five
:17:53. > :17:56.years of implementation. Within that period starting at three ye`rs and
:17:57. > :17:58.then up to five years, and that has literally started and an
:17:59. > :18:08.announcement will be made in due course. Exceptional case funding was
:18:09. > :18:15.introduced as part of this to make sure that without cases in
:18:16. > :18:20.exceptional circumstances would have access to legal aid. Between 20 3
:18:21. > :18:25.and 2016 there were 4032 applications but June of thd
:18:26. > :18:32.stringency of criteria, staggering the 3081 campaign -- applic`tions
:18:33. > :18:35.were not considered. Can thhs be increased so more people can have
:18:36. > :18:40.the safety net and increase access to justice for those who nedd it
:18:41. > :18:43.most? I think the honourabld lady raises an important point. The
:18:44. > :18:48.number of cases which are bding applied for and granted is rising.
:18:49. > :18:52.But it is also a question of making sure that people who might need this
:18:53. > :18:56.funding are aware of it, so I think that is an important part of the
:18:57. > :19:01.picture. But in terms of exceptional needs funding it is a vital part of
:19:02. > :19:05.the picture and something that we will keep under review, and if she
:19:06. > :19:08.has particularly detailed points she wants to raise about how its
:19:09. > :19:18.operating I would be happy to discuss it with her.
:19:19. > :19:27.We will set out our proposals for a bill of rights in due coursd and
:19:28. > :19:31.number seven. There is something number seven. There is something
:19:32. > :19:35.so sorry, Mr Speaker, and m`ybe with so sorry, Mr Speaker, and m`ybe with
:19:36. > :19:44.your leave I could answer qtestions seven. -- questions seven in the
:19:45. > :19:49.same way. We are no closer to a time frame of plan and theme in how we
:19:50. > :19:55.will this. Earlier this year, the Council of Europe human rights
:19:56. > :20:00.Commissioner said the delay was causing anxiety and concern to the
:20:01. > :20:06.administrations, so can the Minister tell us when the consultation on
:20:07. > :20:10.this matter will be brought forward? The government was elected with a
:20:11. > :20:15.mandate to reform and modernise the UK human rights framework. There are
:20:16. > :20:21.good reasons for that. We h`ve a proud tradition in respect of human
:20:22. > :20:22.rights and the government is also considering the overall
:20:23. > :20:31.constitutional landscape and how this fits in following Brexht, but
:20:32. > :20:35.it is something we are commhtted to. The Commissioner has also s`id that
:20:36. > :20:39.his impression is that the data over the Human Rights Act in Westminster
:20:40. > :20:42.is not a true reflection of the debate outside England. Does the
:20:43. > :20:46.Minister appreciate there is no support for the plans in Scotland
:20:47. > :20:50.and the impact of any attempt to repeal the Human Rights Act would
:20:51. > :20:56.provoke a constitutional crhsis It is important, the issue of human
:20:57. > :21:02.rights, in all parts of the UK and we accept that. And we will fully
:21:03. > :21:04.engage with the devolved administrations on this question.
:21:05. > :21:10.But I think many feel that there is a need for a British jurisprudence
:21:11. > :21:15.to emerge on the European Court of Human Rights and the convention
:21:16. > :21:20.Surrey, on the European Convention of human rights, and also to assert
:21:21. > :21:30.certain ancient rites which we have in Britain, such as jury trhals In
:21:31. > :21:33.welcoming my honourable fridnd's statement, come -- can I asked him
:21:34. > :21:39.to a card of the military aspects of this. Those risking their lhves for
:21:40. > :21:43.us on military operations are being overshadowed by what is going on
:21:44. > :21:51.with the pursuit under Brithsh law of people who were our enemhes of
:21:52. > :21:54.human rights cases. Of course, my honourable friend makes an hmportant
:21:55. > :21:58.point and he will be aware of the announcement which is being made
:21:59. > :22:04.about derogation which would mean that there were occasions previously
:22:05. > :22:09.where there could be industrial scale allegations made, manx of
:22:10. > :22:14.which proved later to be false and that will change once the ddrogation
:22:15. > :22:19.process is in place but he does raise a very important point. Would
:22:20. > :22:23.the Minister agree with me that it's been reported that 28 terrorists
:22:24. > :22:28.have used the Human Rights @ct to avoid deportation, no doubt using
:22:29. > :22:31.legal aid as well. Isn't it time to scrap the act and start thinking
:22:32. > :22:35.less about the human rights of terrorist and foreign-born criminals
:22:36. > :22:42.and more about the human rights of law-abiding members of the British
:22:43. > :22:44.public. It is right that thd house will be aware that there ard
:22:45. > :22:50.concerns amongst the British public that there have been barriers to the
:22:51. > :22:54.deportation of criminals whhch shouldn't have been there. @nd also
:22:55. > :22:59.that there is a need for Brhtish conditions, British jurisprtdence in
:23:00. > :23:03.this area and it is something which has been called for over many years
:23:04. > :23:13.by the Conservative Party, `nd something which the governmdnt is
:23:14. > :23:17.very alive too. Crime is falling and fewer women are entering thd justice
:23:18. > :23:20.system with a female prison population now consistently under
:23:21. > :23:23.4000. The women who commit crimes are often some of the most
:23:24. > :23:26.vulnerable in society and this is why we are developing a str`tegy for
:23:27. > :23:31.women that we will set out hn the New Year. We want to see fewer women
:23:32. > :23:35.in custody and to promote a greater focus and earlier interventhon,
:23:36. > :23:39.diversion and multi-agency `pproach to make sure the justice agdncy can
:23:40. > :23:44.take proper needs into accotnt for women. There are many victils of
:23:45. > :23:48.domestic violence in the justice system with many multiple and
:23:49. > :23:53.complex needs, who are mostly women. What is the government doing about
:23:54. > :24:00.the perverse impact of genddr neutral commissioning Cutting women
:24:01. > :24:04.only specialist services. I am committed to making sure victims of
:24:05. > :24:09.crime get the support they need Specialist services for domdstic
:24:10. > :24:12.abuse are emissions globallx by police and clawing commissioners and
:24:13. > :24:16.it's important that provisions are in place to meet the diversd needs
:24:17. > :24:20.of domestic abuse victims and the government's new violence against
:24:21. > :24:23.women and girls strategy sets out the by the end of parliament all
:24:24. > :24:27.victims of abuse get the support they need. We have pledged hncreased
:24:28. > :24:36.funding of ?80 million betwden now and the end of Twenty20. 50$ of
:24:37. > :24:40.women sentenced to prison sdntences are convicted of non-violent crime.
:24:41. > :24:42.Isn't it time the government had across department agenda whhch
:24:43. > :24:51.focuses on early intervention so women employed -- we can avoid
:24:52. > :24:57.locking women up? I'm aware of the complex problems that women
:24:58. > :24:59.offenders often exhibit, thd mental health problems, substance lisuse,
:25:00. > :25:04.and I'm actively engage with other departments to bring forward that
:25:05. > :25:08.strategy in the New Year. Both boys and girls have to wear uniforms at
:25:09. > :25:13.school, both men and women have to wear uniforms equally in thd
:25:14. > :25:17.workplace, but convicted men have to wear uniforms in prison, but
:25:18. > :25:20.convicted women don't. Does the Minister agree with that, and if he
:25:21. > :25:28.does agree with that, what does the word equality mean to him? Ly
:25:29. > :25:34.honourable friend has a rich track record in this area that I `m aware
:25:35. > :25:39.of. What I would say on this is that women are twice as likely to report
:25:40. > :25:42.exploitative abuse as a child and more likely than men to be primary
:25:43. > :25:48.and sole carers of their chhldren and more likely to display lental
:25:49. > :25:53.health problems and class a drug use. I think it is important that we
:25:54. > :26:00.have a gender specific approach to women, and if that involves
:26:01. > :26:04.different uniforms, then so be it. The last justice questions hn
:26:05. > :26:07.September saw the Parliamentary undersecretary say that he was not
:26:08. > :26:12.going to make any commitments about what he or the department wdre going
:26:13. > :26:16.to do to address and adequately support the thousands of people in
:26:17. > :26:19.our prisons with a mental hdalth condition, including so manx women.
:26:20. > :26:24.Since then, the latest figures show another increase in suicide in our
:26:25. > :26:30.prisons. One person every three days is taking their life in our prisons.
:26:31. > :26:33.That is since the Secretary of State took office, the highest level in 25
:26:34. > :26:36.years. Is the Parliamentary undersecretary ashamed of the
:26:37. > :26:39.figures and will he now comlit to ensure that paying to cut crime in
:26:40. > :26:45.the country should never me`n paying with your life? I do recall
:26:46. > :26:49.answering the question of the last justice questions and my pohnt was
:26:50. > :26:56.that the development of this, the cause, is very complex and H'm very
:26:57. > :26:59.much aware of the suicide lhst. We have had increased suicides,
:27:00. > :27:03.particularly in the women's system since early this year, and one
:27:04. > :27:06.particular case in the north-east is particularly shocking and the
:27:07. > :27:09.honourable lady can be assured I'm looking very closely at that
:27:10. > :27:14.particular case but there h`ve been others. In terms of dealing with
:27:15. > :27:17.this, not only am I trying to work on a winning strategy to brhng
:27:18. > :27:18.forward in the New Year I'm also looking at mental health across the
:27:19. > :27:33.entire system. Will the minister commit to work
:27:34. > :27:38.with other agencies. There hs an at ternive to prison -- altern`tive to
:27:39. > :27:42.prison that work with women. I've already met with Mrs Sugden and I
:27:43. > :27:47.expect to meet with the othdr devolved agencies and I'm vdry happy
:27:48. > :27:52.to meet and discuss with thdm. The continued cuts to legal aid fund
:27:53. > :27:57.mean there is a rising numbdr of litigants in person. Many women have
:27:58. > :28:00.to face abusive partners in court with no assistance on how to
:28:01. > :28:04.approach the complexities of the law. More needs to be done to
:28:05. > :28:10.protect women in the legal process. What steps are being taken to ensure
:28:11. > :28:14.justice can truly be done whth this? I thank the honourable lady for her
:28:15. > :28:18.question. Women do need addhtional support, not just in going through
:28:19. > :28:22.the legal process but in terms of housing, many different isstes, both
:28:23. > :28:28.before, during and after thdir time in prison. I've already vishted a
:28:29. > :28:31.project in Hackney and was `ctually struck by how effective that
:28:32. > :28:33.approach has been in terms of helping the vulnerable women. With
:28:34. > :28:37.regards to the specific questions, we are working on it but I'll be
:28:38. > :28:47.happy to write to her with ` more detailed response. The Government's
:28:48. > :28:51.reform programme is intended to deliver a simpler, fairer jtstice
:28:52. > :28:55.system that works for everyone. We are reforming our courts to make
:28:56. > :28:59.them more modern, open, swift and accountable and since January 2 15
:29:00. > :29:06.we have invested 3.5 million to provide more support to lithgants in
:29:07. > :29:11.person. The Government has ttterly undermined access to justicd for EU
:29:12. > :29:14.citizens and other migrants with its incredible 500% increase in
:29:15. > :29:18.immigration tribunal fees. Will the minister at least closely monitor
:29:19. > :29:22.the drastic impact this ridhculous increase is going to have and
:29:23. > :29:28.respond accordingly when evdrything the Government's been warned about
:29:29. > :29:32.comes to pass? The Government takes a markedly different view to the
:29:33. > :29:37.honourable gentleman about this The fact is that these tribunals cost
:29:38. > :29:41.money and there are people laking applications to them who're not in
:29:42. > :29:45.the category where they need help with fees. And so where thex do need
:29:46. > :29:48.help with fees, of course, we have a remissions scheme, but wherd they
:29:49. > :29:54.don't, how can it be wrong that therked pay for the costs of the
:29:55. > :29:58.system? That's only right -, they should pay for the system. @s the
:29:59. > :30:01.minister's mentioned, an important element of improving access to
:30:02. > :30:05.justice is reform of the cotrts system. Would he like to sax a bit
:30:06. > :30:12.more about the modernisation of the court system and particularly where
:30:13. > :30:17.the Lord Justice Briggs concept of an online court court is gohng to be
:30:18. > :30:23.introduced? Yes, he's prepare add report which has been revolttionary
:30:24. > :30:26.but also extremely helpful hn the modernisation process and I would
:30:27. > :30:31.like to pay tribute to his work We do intend to introduce a new online
:30:32. > :30:36.procedure for lower value chvil money claims. The online procedure
:30:37. > :30:40.will be a mix of new technology conciliation, judicial resolution
:30:41. > :30:44.and will provide a simple dhspute resolution process. We intend to
:30:45. > :30:49.also create a new rules comlittee to design the simpler rules thhs will
:30:50. > :30:54.require. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The linister
:30:55. > :30:59.says that the Government's taking a markedly different view on tribunal
:31:00. > :31:02.fees from my right honourable friend, the member for Cumbdrnauld.
:31:03. > :31:06.However, when the justice committee published their review of the
:31:07. > :31:09.tribunal and court fees earlier this year, their excel listen ch`ir
:31:10. > :31:15.person, the honourable membdr for Bromley and Chislehurst who of
:31:16. > :31:18.course is a backbencher of the minister's party, said "where
:31:19. > :31:23.there's conflict between thd objectives of achieving full cost
:31:24. > :31:27.recovery and preserving accdss to justice, the latter must prdvail".
:31:28. > :31:31.Does the minister agree with this statement? Yes, and can I p`y
:31:32. > :31:36.tribute to my right honourable friend for the work he does chairing
:31:37. > :31:40.the committee so ably. Therd's no question that you do need a
:31:41. > :31:45.mitigation system as we havd for fees. But having said that, I
:31:46. > :31:49.welcome the justice committde's report which goes into a wide range
:31:50. > :31:57.of issues and we will respond to it shortly.
:31:58. > :32:00.Employment tribunals are an additional pressure on people who've
:32:01. > :32:04.been relieved of their employment in appropriate circumstances and create
:32:05. > :32:09.a real restriction on access to justice with those that are
:32:10. > :32:14.vulnerable. A group has said that since the introduction of the fees
:32:15. > :32:17.there,'s been a 40% drop in claims for pregnancy related detrilent or
:32:18. > :32:21.dismissal. Why doesn't the Government follow the example of the
:32:22. > :32:27.Scottish Government and comlit to scrapping employment tribun`l fees?
:32:28. > :32:31.The principle should be that if you are not somebody that can p`y and
:32:32. > :32:35.mitigation is required, there should be a system of mitigation of fees.
:32:36. > :32:40.But if you are able to pay, given that this costs the country a huge
:32:41. > :32:47.amount of money, why shouldn't people who're using these f`cilities
:32:48. > :32:51.make a contribution? Thank xou Mr Speaker. In our country, it's a
:32:52. > :32:56.corner stone of access to jtstice that there should be equality of
:32:57. > :33:01.arms in court. I was therefore shocked last week to hear the
:33:02. > :33:07.Minister for Courts and justice tell us in the add journeyment ddbates on
:33:08. > :33:13.the Birmingham pub bombings that "only an element of equalitx of arms
:33:14. > :33:17.is necessary". Can the minister therefore come to the despatch box
:33:18. > :33:24.and either reassure us that this was a mere slip of his well-trahned
:33:25. > :33:30.legal tongue or alternatively, admit that his Government is reducing not
:33:31. > :33:34.defending, access to justicd? It comes a bit rich when at that
:33:35. > :33:38.debate I was able to announce that the families had got a legal aid
:33:39. > :33:43.certificate through the leg`l aid agency and so, for him to now talk
:33:44. > :33:48.semantics, I was saying the element that's needed of equality of arms
:33:49. > :33:53.was being met in accordance with the rules of the agency. And whdn it
:33:54. > :33:58.comes to Labour politicians talking about cuts and concerns abott legal
:33:59. > :34:03.aid, it's worth remembering why it was necessary to make the ctts
:34:04. > :34:07.because of the mismanagement of the economy which the Government
:34:08. > :34:14.inherited in 2010. And on that subject of the debate of
:34:15. > :34:21.last Thursday, Lynn Bennett died... I won't give it up. Lynn Bennett
:34:22. > :34:31.died aged 18 in the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974. Her father,
:34:32. > :34:37.Stanley Bennett and her six per Claire Luckman, are still sdarching
:34:38. > :34:42.for the proof. They refused to fill in the legal aid forms. Thex believe
:34:43. > :34:47.the state is forcing them to in effect beg for access to justice.
:34:48. > :34:51.Will the Justice Secretary today agree to go back to the Homd
:34:52. > :34:56.Secretary and ask her to reconsider this so that Stanley and Cl`ire can
:34:57. > :35:03.have access to justice on bdhalf of Lynn? As the honourable ladx will
:35:04. > :35:06.know, the legal aid agency, which is independent, has considered two
:35:07. > :35:12.applications for legal aid. One has been granted and on the othdr case,
:35:13. > :35:16.it's been, as was pointed ott in the debate, a way has been describe and
:35:17. > :35:19.set out in which it would bd possible for those families to have
:35:20. > :35:23.legal aid too. So there is no question that the families can be
:35:24. > :35:27.and will be represented. But I would accept that the Birmingham pub
:35:28. > :35:31.bombings were the most dreadful incidents of a generation. H said in
:35:32. > :35:37.the debate, I remembered as a young student the powerful effect on the
:35:38. > :35:41.whole country of the worst bombing incident since the Second World War
:35:42. > :35:45.where 21 people died, 222 wdre injured and all our thoughts in this
:35:46. > :35:50.House will be with the families their loved ones and those who had
:35:51. > :35:54.their lives affected. In terms of the debate about how we deal with
:35:55. > :35:58.these very difficult inquests in these very special category of
:35:59. > :36:01.cases, I made it clear in the debate that the Home Office and thd
:36:02. > :36:05.Ministry of Justice are working on that, looking at the preceddnce of
:36:06. > :36:10.what happened with Hillsborough waiting for bishop James Jones'
:36:11. > :36:15.report and also will look at all the matters which have been discussed in
:36:16. > :36:19.that debate. Question number 9, Mr Speaker.
:36:20. > :36:23.Mr Speaker, we know that getting prison, into employment is key to
:36:24. > :36:27.reducing reoffending. While there are some excellent initiatives in
:36:28. > :36:33.the Prison Service, there is still no coherent system that links
:36:34. > :36:35.working side with education and training and employment
:36:36. > :36:38.opportunities on the outsidd and that's why I'll bring forward a plan
:36:39. > :36:46.early in the New Year to boost offender employment.
:36:47. > :36:49.Some offenders are still struggling to secure employment upon their
:36:50. > :36:53.release as highlighted by one of my constituents recently. What more is
:36:54. > :36:57.being done and can be done to ensure that the qualifications unddrtaken
:36:58. > :37:02.by inmates whilst in prison are both relevant and acceptable to potential
:37:03. > :37:07.employers? The honourable mdmber describes a situation that hs all
:37:08. > :37:10.too familiar in our Prison Service where prisoners undertake courses in
:37:11. > :37:14.prison that bear no relation to the outside world or the abilitx to get
:37:15. > :37:18.a job. What we'll be saying in our White Paper which will be ptblished
:37:19. > :37:25.shortly is how we can improve that education system. We have already
:37:26. > :37:30.accepted the principle reforms announced by the review and how we
:37:31. > :37:35.can help Governors work with prisoners in the Lowe local labour
:37:36. > :37:38.market to help boost this. There is a well established link
:37:39. > :37:42.between employment and reoffending and we are now five years on from
:37:43. > :37:47.the Government's reoffending revolution. -- rehabilitation
:37:48. > :37:51.revolution. Can the minister let us know whether the latest reoffending
:37:52. > :37:56.statistics show an increase or decrease in reoffending ratds.
:37:57. > :38:02.Well, it is still the case, as it has been for decades in the UK, that
:38:03. > :38:05.roughly a third of people that leave our prison system reoffend. The
:38:06. > :38:10.honourable member mentions ` record of this Government. I do not
:38:11. > :38:16.recollect the last Labour Government ever talk about rehabilitathon and
:38:17. > :38:20.reform in our prisons. My rhght honourable friend, the Secrdtary of
:38:21. > :38:25.State, will be bringing forward plans that will give Governors real
:38:26. > :38:30.power on the front line so that they can act as the ring masters working
:38:31. > :38:36.locally to deliver real reform. Would the minister agree to visit
:38:37. > :38:39.jobs, friends and houses whhch not only get ex-offenders into
:38:40. > :38:44.construction jobs but helps find them somewhere to live, gets them
:38:45. > :38:48.off drugs and provides them with a group of friends. Such a good
:38:49. > :38:53.project and we are aiming to set it up in Bedfordshire as well. The
:38:54. > :38:57.member mentions an excellent scheme that I definitely support whth other
:38:58. > :39:01.schemes going on in the Prison Service and some great employers
:39:02. > :39:05.like Timpsons, Gregs and Halfords. What we'll do in our employlent
:39:06. > :39:07.strategy is making sure that this works throughout the system rather
:39:08. > :39:16.than having a few bright spots here and there.
:39:17. > :39:19.An important follow-up to that was the impediment national instrance
:39:20. > :39:22.payments cause for somebody who s left prison. The member for
:39:23. > :39:26.south-west Bedfordshire was seized of this issue and pursuing good work
:39:27. > :39:30.in that regard. Can I ask the Minister for An update on progress
:39:31. > :39:34.with insurers and whether hd'll continue the good work?
:39:35. > :39:37.I agree with the honourable gentleman that there are a number of
:39:38. > :39:41.barriers for employers in t`king ex-offenders, some of it around
:39:42. > :39:44.trust, some of it around sthgma and some real hard issues like the
:39:45. > :39:51.insurance issue will be looking at all of the issues and reduchng those
:39:52. > :39:53.barriers so employers are incentivised the take on
:39:54. > :40:02.ex-offenders. What is interdsting is that those who do like Timpsons say,
:40:03. > :40:07.some of the most loyal employers are those that have come out of the
:40:08. > :40:11.prison system. With the publication of the Government's excellent green
:40:12. > :40:14.paper yesterday on halving the disability employment gap and the
:40:15. > :40:18.recognition that autistic pdople need specific person help, what
:40:19. > :40:21.contribution will the department be making to ensuring that awe dustic
:40:22. > :40:27.offenders find employment upon release? The issue is not jtst
:40:28. > :40:32.autistic offenders. We know that many of the people in the youth
:40:33. > :40:36.justice system and also the prison population as a whole, have special
:40:37. > :40:41.educational needs and very low levels of literacy. One of the key
:40:42. > :40:45.steps that this Government has taken is that we've moved the education
:40:46. > :40:49.budget from the Department for Education to the Ministry of Justice
:40:50. > :40:53.and what we'll be dog is delegating the budgets to prison Governors so
:40:54. > :40:56.they can spend appropriatelx on the needs of each prisoner to hdlp them
:40:57. > :41:00.get the right education so they can get employment.
:41:01. > :41:06.Thank you, Mr Speaker, question Number 10.
:41:07. > :41:15.Mr Speaker, I've had no such discussions on this issue, prisons
:41:16. > :41:19.are a devolved matter and responsibility from HMP. It lies
:41:20. > :41:23.with the Department of Northern Ireland justice.
:41:24. > :41:27.I was hoping that we wouldn't always two back to devolved, that we are
:41:28. > :41:32.now all pulling together more as a union, but this is a vital latter
:41:33. > :41:34.that we have got to move on with and will the minister have disctssions
:41:35. > :41:37.with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Justice
:41:38. > :41:41.Minister to look at how we get a level playing field, how we change
:41:42. > :41:44.the system that we've got and even more importantly, make sure there
:41:45. > :41:51.are no on the run letters in the system? The honourable membdr raises
:41:52. > :41:56.the issue of on the run are letters which is a vital issue, norlally an
:41:57. > :41:59.issue for the Northern Irel`nd office and, as the previous
:42:00. > :42:02.Secretary of State for Northern Ireland set out I think in her
:42:03. > :42:06.statement to the Commons in 201 , the so-called on the run
:42:07. > :42:07.administrative scheme established by the previous Labour Governmdnt is at
:42:08. > :42:24.an end. The government is very much aware of
:42:25. > :42:26.the concerns expressed about sentencing for driving offences and
:42:27. > :42:27.committed to making sure th`t the courts have sufficient powers to
:42:28. > :42:46.deal with driving offences there are people in this as
:42:47. > :42:50.you have seen people who have seen people lost by driving offences and
:42:51. > :42:54.the announcement came from the department to a half years `go which
:42:55. > :42:57.should have concluded by now, and three Secretary of State is later we
:42:58. > :43:02.are told there will be constltation this year. It's not good enough Can
:43:03. > :43:07.he give a clear date to this house when we will finally have this
:43:08. > :43:13.review published and more jtstice for victims of criminal driving I
:43:14. > :43:18.am aware that the honourabld gentleman has had a constittent
:43:19. > :43:21.being knocked down by a drink-driver and I would like to offer mx
:43:22. > :43:26.condolences to that constittent Parliament says the penaltids and
:43:27. > :43:32.driving offences are the most serious cases that result in death
:43:33. > :43:38.should have a result by the end of the year. Would the minister
:43:39. > :43:40.reassure me that part of thhs will be reconsidering whether thd greater
:43:41. > :43:43.use of the charge of manslatghter can be made so those who have
:43:44. > :43:49.behaved so recklessly Angkor somebody's death get that s`me type
:43:50. > :43:53.of penalty that they get for doing it with anything else but their car.
:43:54. > :43:57.We can charge a person with manslaughter when we can support the
:43:58. > :44:00.charge and where it is in the public interest to do so and there is a
:44:01. > :44:06.reasonable prospect of convhction. But in many driving cases, that
:44:07. > :44:11.behaviour, which might be hhghly irresponsible, means the car might
:44:12. > :44:16.not have been used as a deadly weapon or that the standard of
:44:17. > :44:22.driving was part of the judgment. I'm aware that there has bedn an
:44:23. > :44:24.amendment tabled extending to Northern Ireland the provishons
:44:25. > :44:28.tabled by Lord Sharkey in rdspect of England and Wales on this issue
:44:29. > :44:36.Northern Ireland has legisl`tive powers over matters relating to
:44:37. > :44:42.justice and policing. I thank the Minister, but given the unipue
:44:43. > :44:49.equality legislation in Northern Ireland, would he see a problem with
:44:50. > :44:56.this being introduced in a province? If legislation is to be introduced
:44:57. > :45:01.and extended, and the Turing pardon, that would be a vision for the
:45:02. > :45:04.Northern Ireland assembly to take. Were it to be extended to Northern
:45:05. > :45:13.Ireland, a motion, by convention, would be required. The Ministry of
:45:14. > :45:17.Justice is leading work on future arrangements with the EU for civil,
:45:18. > :45:21.family and commercial law. We are also working closely with the Home
:45:22. > :45:26.Office on EU criminal justice measures. I'm determined to make
:45:27. > :45:29.sure that UK legal services which contribute ?26 billion per xear to
:45:30. > :45:37.the economy continued to thrive once we leave the EU. Official fhgures
:45:38. > :45:44.showed that between 2010 and 20 5 the UK made 1000 requests under the
:45:45. > :45:48.European arrest warrant, as a result of which 916 successful arrdsts were
:45:49. > :45:51.made. Can I ask the Secretary of State to confirm whether or not
:45:52. > :46:00.access to the system will continue when the UK leads the EU? As I've
:46:01. > :46:03.said, the Home Office is le`ding on criminal justice matters and we are
:46:04. > :46:08.working very, very closely with them and we want to preserve those
:46:09. > :46:12.beneficial policies where wd can deal with criminal justice latters,
:46:13. > :46:15.but also with civil justice matters so we can make sure that we have the
:46:16. > :46:21.best possible legal services in the world. English law, particularly
:46:22. > :46:25.English commercial law, is respected around the world for its qu`lity.
:46:26. > :46:30.We'll Secretary of State confirm that her department will usd Brexit
:46:31. > :46:34.as an opportunity to spread it around the world? -- will the
:46:35. > :46:38.secretary of State confirm? I agree and I know my honourable frhend has
:46:39. > :46:45.a background in commercial law at one of the top city firms and I had
:46:46. > :46:48.a roundtable to talk about how we can promote those legal are`s as
:46:49. > :46:53.well as all of the practices right through the UK, including those
:46:54. > :46:56.practising in Scottish law `s well, because I think we have a bhg
:46:57. > :46:58.opportunity to promote it more widely and we are using this
:46:59. > :47:15.campaign as a vehicle to do that. Firstly, I'd like to express my
:47:16. > :47:18.deepest sympathy for the falily and friends of Jamal, who died hn
:47:19. > :47:23.Pentonville in October. We need to address the major issue of violence
:47:24. > :47:27.in our prisons and that is why I have been conducting a compdtency
:47:28. > :47:34.review of the system. I will shortly launch a White Paper on how I plan
:47:35. > :47:37.to transform visitors into places of safety and reform and I've `nnounced
:47:38. > :47:42.an immediate investment of ?40 million to increase staffing lessons
:47:43. > :47:47.in the most challenging prisons -- ?14 million. Incidents in domestic
:47:48. > :47:51.site -- violence are sharplx unsuccessful prosecutions are up,
:47:52. > :47:56.which is good, but referencds to the CPS are down. What is the Mhnister
:47:57. > :48:01.'s take on the anomaly and do we need positive feedback from the
:48:02. > :48:06.courts to the police? I thank the honourable gentleman for his
:48:07. > :48:10.question. We put in extra mdasures, and particularly in the law on
:48:11. > :48:13.coercive behaviour, which h`s been very important. What I'm determined
:48:14. > :48:18.to do is make sure the court system treats vulnerable witnesses and
:48:19. > :48:23.victims as well as possible to encourage more people to cole
:48:24. > :48:33.forward. Can smuggling into prisons by drones be stopped? A verx pithy
:48:34. > :48:38.question. The new threat by drones is a game changer, not just for
:48:39. > :48:42.prisons but other parts of government which is why I al working
:48:43. > :48:45.with ministers across government to engage with drone manufacturers to
:48:46. > :48:50.find a solution to the problem. I'm keeping a close eye on what is
:48:51. > :48:54.happening internationally, particularly in Holland where they
:48:55. > :49:02.are using Eagles to stop drones and I'm sure we will find a solttion in
:49:03. > :49:05.the UK that will take. Hopefully the Secretary of State is aware that the
:49:06. > :49:11.Scottish Government are going to grant aid pardon to men who were
:49:12. > :49:17.convicted of historic same-sex sexual offending is -- offences
:49:18. > :49:20.including parties over the `ge of 16. Will she follow the Scottish
:49:21. > :49:28.Government example and commht to a pardon which covers a living as well
:49:29. > :49:31.as the dead? The government is intent on delivering on its historic
:49:32. > :49:36.manifesto commitment to grant a pardon to all those convictdd of
:49:37. > :49:40.archaic gay laws. I know thd Scottish Government has announced
:49:41. > :49:44.its plans but I know that even in the plans of the Scottish
:49:45. > :49:47.Government, they are talking about a disregard process just in the same
:49:48. > :49:53.way as the UK Government has announced. We have a disreg`rd
:49:54. > :49:56.process that will ensure th`t people who are guilty of crimes th`t are
:49:57. > :50:00.still a crime do not accidentally get pardon. I think that is
:50:01. > :50:03.absolutely right, to have an appropriate safeguard you do not
:50:04. > :50:10.write a wrong by creating another injustice. I noticed that the Prince
:50:11. > :50:16.of the pithy question was about to leave the chamber. I thought it
:50:17. > :50:18.should be noted. What action is the government taking to protect
:50:19. > :50:24.vulnerable witnesses when they testify in court? I thank mx
:50:25. > :50:29.honourable friend for her qtestion. We want to make sure that vtlnerable
:50:30. > :50:34.witnesses, including childrdn, who have to go in front of an open court
:50:35. > :50:39.at the moment and testify and also be cross examined, will be `ble to
:50:40. > :50:42.be cross-examined in advancd, pre-trial and pre-recorded. This is
:50:43. > :50:50.much less intimidating and H think will encourage more victims to come
:50:51. > :50:53.forward. One of the Secretary of State's for departmental prhorities
:50:54. > :50:58.is to build a one nation justice system for all citizens whatever the
:50:59. > :51:01.background. What impact she think yesterday's Orgreave announcement
:51:02. > :51:08.will have on ordinary peopld's confidence in the justice sxstem? My
:51:09. > :51:11.honourable friend, the Home Secretary, made it absolutely clear
:51:12. > :51:15.why she made that decision. It's very important that people have
:51:16. > :51:23.access to justice and we have a country that works for everxone The
:51:24. > :51:27.Lord Chancellor in her role as head of the judiciary has oversight of
:51:28. > :51:31.all legal action that continues in this country. Today there is an
:51:32. > :51:35.abuse of power where we are seeing soldiers facing effectively double
:51:36. > :51:38.jeopardy through the Iraqi historic allegations tribunal. I unddrstand
:51:39. > :51:41.the Ministry of Defence is leading on this, but as the chief jtdicial
:51:42. > :51:46.officer of the land, could she please comment? Our Armed Forces
:51:47. > :51:51.make huge sacrifices and it's plainly the case that no current or
:51:52. > :51:57.former serving member should face unwarranted investigation. However,
:51:58. > :52:01.where there are credible, sdrious allegations of criminal beh`viour
:52:02. > :52:05.they must be investigated and I think everyone in the milit`ry world
:52:06. > :52:13.understands that. It is important to make rapid progress with thd Iraqi
:52:14. > :52:16.historic allegations team c`seload. The team expects the caselo`d to
:52:17. > :52:25.have reduced from the original 300 cases down to around 250 by early
:52:26. > :52:31.January. Plans to rebuild Sunderland's courts complex have
:52:32. > :52:34.been on hold since 2010. Despite raising the issue numerous occasions
:52:35. > :52:38.we have still not a decision. Will he meet with me and my honotrable
:52:39. > :52:44.friend, the member for Sunddrland Central, as a priority to Sdve we
:52:45. > :52:49.can make any progress? -- to see if we can make. I would be extremely
:52:50. > :52:55.happy to meet with my honourable friend. Given that 20% of the prison
:52:56. > :52:58.population have spent some time in care, could the ministers ottline
:52:59. > :53:03.what steps the government is taking to prevent children in care ending
:53:04. > :53:06.up in the prison system? I thank my honourable friend the questhon and
:53:07. > :53:10.she's absolutely right. We're working very closely with the band
:53:11. > :53:13.of education and we will shortly produce our paper on youth
:53:14. > :53:17.offenders, and we will talk about how we intervene earlier before
:53:18. > :53:26.people end up with custodial sentences. My constituent lost her
:53:27. > :53:31.son Robert tragically when he was serving honourably at an English
:53:32. > :53:36.monetary base. The family c`nnot gain closure as there is no
:53:37. > :53:40.automatic inquest by jury, `nd they are understandably distraught. Will
:53:41. > :53:46.the Minister meet with Mrs fleeting and myself to discuss the c`se and
:53:47. > :53:49.access to justice for the l`te Robert Fleeting. I'd be mord than
:53:50. > :53:57.happy to meet the honourabld lady and her constituent. The reforms to
:53:58. > :54:00.family justice included in the children and families act 2014
:54:01. > :54:05.implemented by the coalition government are bold and inv`luable,
:54:06. > :54:09.however, as the president of the family division recently colmented,
:54:10. > :54:12.care applications are rising and high conflict divorce cases linger
:54:13. > :54:15.too long in the system and cost far too much money. What steps hs the
:54:16. > :54:21.government taking to resolvd this outstanding issue? Verifications are
:54:22. > :54:26.only made where the child is suffering or may suffer considerable
:54:27. > :54:30.harm. The rising care applications requires a cross agency response and
:54:31. > :54:33.we are working with partners to mitigate the operational impact
:54:34. > :54:37.Conflict during divorce is often focus on children and the dhvision
:54:38. > :54:39.of assets and mediation can be a quick alternative to court `nd legal
:54:40. > :54:45.aid is available to eligibld parties. Recognising the significant
:54:46. > :54:50.flexibility recently given to the governor of one prison in
:54:51. > :54:55.rehabilitation matters, can I propose to the prisons minister that
:54:56. > :55:02.we conduct a joint visit to maximise local and national support? With
:55:03. > :55:06.trepidation, I accept the invitation for the joint visit, and I'l very
:55:07. > :55:12.grateful that he appreciates that reform, and given to the prhson
:55:13. > :55:18.governors, can make a real difference. We will learn more about
:55:19. > :55:24.the opinions of a vast miscdllany of matters from the honourable member,
:55:25. > :55:28.that he can be assured. The Justice Secretary will be aware that in the
:55:29. > :55:31.past couple of years considdrable progress has been made in tdrms of
:55:32. > :55:36.allowing UK lawyers to practice in India. Would she kindly upd`te the
:55:37. > :55:38.house in terms of progress so far, particularly given that the Prime
:55:39. > :55:48.Minister will be visiting India in the next few days? Can I colmend my
:55:49. > :55:51.honourable member on the work he did in the department to promotd those
:55:52. > :55:55.legal links with India, and I'm pleased to say they are being taken
:55:56. > :55:58.forward and the Prime Minister will visit India this month to p`ve the
:55:59. > :56:02.way for UK lawyers to practhce their, which will help improve our
:56:03. > :56:07.international business and trade. English law is a massive asset that
:56:08. > :56:12.we can leveraged for wider business negotiation.
:56:13. > :56:23.How many of the inquest report is on deaths in custody, self-inflicted
:56:24. > :56:27.deaths, has the minister re`d, and what process and actions has he
:56:28. > :56:29.taken as a result of the recommendations of inquests which
:56:30. > :56:38.have caused real distress to families? Every death in custody is
:56:39. > :56:43.a tragic event. As the minister responsible for prisons who has been
:56:44. > :56:47.in for four months, I take dvery of them seriously and I look at all
:56:48. > :56:54.reports and I actually sign many of the responses to the reports where,
:56:55. > :56:59.for example, the IMB is rel`ted and we have plans to make sure we
:57:00. > :57:03.deliver on these. Does the Secretary of State agree we need bold reform
:57:04. > :57:06.to cut reoffending and that must mean giving prison governors the
:57:07. > :57:09.powers and accountability to innovate, particularly when it comes
:57:10. > :57:14.to skills training and drugs rehabilitation in the prisons they
:57:15. > :57:18.run? My honourable friend is nothing but bold, and I absolutely `gree
:57:19. > :57:24.with him. We need to change the way we are doing things because the fact
:57:25. > :57:26.is we have not -- we have a persistently high reoffending rate
:57:27. > :57:31.and almost half the people hn prison will reoffend within a year and that
:57:32. > :57:34.is not acceptable. We need to give governors the power to turn lives
:57:35. > :57:38.around, to get people off drugs and to get them into work.
:57:39. > :57:44.The ministry's review into the care and management of transgenddr
:57:45. > :57:47.offenders was due to be concluded in the spring, but almost a ye`r since
:57:48. > :57:51.the review was first announced, a report is yet to be publishdd. Can
:57:52. > :57:57.the Secretary of State update the House today as to when we c`n expect
:57:58. > :58:01.to see that report? The Govdrnment is firmly committed to ensuring the
:58:02. > :58:06.transgender offenders are treated fairly, lawfully and decently and
:58:07. > :58:09.their rights respected. A mhnistry justice led review concluded that
:58:10. > :58:14.treating offenders in the gdnder in which they identify is the lost
:58:15. > :58:19.effective starting point for safety in reducing reoffending where an
:58:20. > :58:23.assessment of all known risks can be considered alongside the offenders'
:58:24. > :58:29.views. Mary, not her real n`me, but a constituent of mine, went to
:58:30. > :58:34.Benidorm on a hen-do, had hdr drink spiked by a British man and was
:58:35. > :58:38.raped. It's six months sincd the offence and the Spanish polhce are
:58:39. > :58:41.no closer to taking the offdnce seriously. Would my right honourable
:58:42. > :58:44.friend agree that the ability to bring a case to trial in thhs
:58:45. > :58:47.country when a sexual offence occurs overseas to Britain is vital for
:58:48. > :58:53.justice when the country dodsn't take it seriously? Yes, I do agree.
:58:54. > :58:58.The Istanbul convention which the UK signed in June 2012 requires
:58:59. > :59:02.ratifying states to assume jurisdiction over offences of this
:59:03. > :59:06.sort when committed by our nationals overseas. We do need to makd changes
:59:07. > :59:10.to primary legislation to introduce this, because at the moment existing
:59:11. > :59:20.law only applies where the rape involves a person under 18 xears of
:59:21. > :59:27.age. Could ministers update the House
:59:28. > :59:34.with the guardians Bill. Parents of Claudia who went missing seven long
:59:35. > :59:37.years ago. I will write to ly right honourable friend because this is a
:59:38. > :59:42.subject on which we'll be s`ying something shortly.
:59:43. > :59:45.The illicit use of mobile phones in prisons is a pernicious isste that
:59:46. > :59:51.must be tackled. Can the Secretary of State update the House on what
:59:52. > :59:55.more the Government is doing to make sure that we are using a technology
:59:56. > :59:58.solution to deal with this. The honourable member's right.
:59:59. > :00:03.Technology is the problem hdre. We believe technology is the answer and
:00:04. > :00:06.we are working very closely with mobile network operators to develop
:00:07. > :00:11.a solution to stop the illegal use of mobile phones in our prisons
:00:12. > :00:15.THE SPEAKER: Finally the ch`ir of the justice Select Committed, Mr
:00:16. > :00:21.Robert Neal. I'm very grateful. Does the Secretary of State shard my
:00:22. > :00:25.concern that the 40% increase in suicides in 2015-16, amongst
:00:26. > :00:29.offenders undergoing supervhsion in the community and will she therefore
:00:30. > :00:32.expedite the department's rdview for the effectiveness of the
:00:33. > :00:35.transforming of the rehabilhtation programme.
:00:36. > :00:41.I thank the committee chairlan for his question. I do share his concern
:00:42. > :00:46.about this issue. We do recognise that there are benefits frol the
:00:47. > :00:49.transforming rehabilitation programme, for example, 45,000
:00:50. > :00:52.people who previously weren't being supervised with sentences for less
:00:53. > :00:59.than a year with now being supervised. However, the minister is
:01:00. > :01:02.conducting a review, as we do with all new legislation, that's one
:01:03. > :01:07.aspect that will be looked `t. THE SPEAKER: Order. Urgent puestion.
:01:08. > :01:12.Andy Burnham. Thank you, Mr Speaker. To ask the
:01:13. > :01:15.Secretary of State for The Home Department, if she'll make `
:01:16. > :01:18.statement on the process shd went through and the papers she
:01:19. > :01:24.considered before reaching her desession not to proceed with an
:01:25. > :01:30.inquiry into the events at Orgreave in June 1984.
:01:31. > :01:34.THE SPEAKER: Mr Brandon Lewhs? Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Home Sdcretary
:01:35. > :01:38.announced her decision by w`y of a written ministerial statement
:01:39. > :01:42.yesterday. She explained her main reasons for deciding against
:01:43. > :01:48.investigating either a statttory instigated inquiry or an independent
:01:49. > :01:49.review into the events at Orgreave. She's also written