:00:00. > :00:08.the Justice Secretary, lids Truss, but first the Speaker will deal
:00:09. > :00:14.briefly with private legislation. THE SPEAKER: Order. Order. The clerk
:00:15. > :00:20.will proceed to read the title of the private Bills set down for
:00:21. > :00:33.consideration. New Southgate Cemetery Bill. Tuesday, 2nd May.
:00:34. > :00:37.THE SPEAKER: Tuesday, 2nd May. THE SPEAKER: The question is that
:00:38. > :00:43.the Bill be read the third time. As many of that opinion say aye. To the
:00:44. > :00:49.contrary, no. I think the ayes have it, the ayes have it. City of London
:00:50. > :00:55.Corporation open spaces Bill amended to be considered. Wednesday, 22nd
:00:56. > :00:59.April. THE SPEAKER: The question is that
:01:00. > :01:05.the Beurl be now considered as many of that opinion say aye. To the
:01:06. > :01:15.contrary, no. I think the ayes have it, the ayes have it. Thank you.
:01:16. > :01:20.Order. Today, the 25th April 2017, marks colleagues the 200th
:01:21. > :01:29.anniversary of the first printing of the daily votes and proceedings.
:01:30. > :01:35.And of an order paper setting out the business of the House, this
:01:36. > :01:40.followed an initiative by my predecessor in the chair, Speaker
:01:41. > :01:46.Abbott. Members have relied ever since on
:01:47. > :01:52.these papers. It is a good moment for us to Thack all those
:01:53. > :01:58.responsible in the House Service for their preparation and distribution
:01:59. > :02:08.ever since and for their unfailing appearance, rain or shine, printed
:02:09. > :02:13.or digital. Order. Questions to the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of
:02:14. > :02:20.State for Justice. Question number one, Mr Speaker. Mr
:02:21. > :02:26.Speaker, with your permission I'd like to group this question with
:02:27. > :02:31.question number tenment we announced our intention to make changes by
:02:32. > :02:35.secondary legislation that would make it easier for victims of
:02:36. > :02:39.domestic violence to access Legal Aid. These include removing the time
:02:40. > :02:43.limit on all forms of evidence and accepting evidence from domestic
:02:44. > :02:47.violence support organisations. Can I thank my Right Honourable friend
:02:48. > :02:50.for that answer the I appreciate the minister may not be able to go into
:02:51. > :02:53.detail just yet, but can he offer a commitment to the Venus Williams of
:02:54. > :02:56.domestic violence that for his continued support for them in the
:02:57. > :03:01.justice system during the next Parliament, if a Conservative
:03:02. > :03:05.Government is returned? Well, I can certainly say that and I can also
:03:06. > :03:10.point o the recent changes that have been made in courts to help those
:03:11. > :03:17.who are victims of domestic violence to give evidence, the video links
:03:18. > :03:20.that we've introduced and also, the provision for recorded evidence and
:03:21. > :03:24.cross-examination which is about to be rolled out and I think it is also
:03:25. > :03:29.important to say that I think the House generally supported the end to
:03:30. > :03:34.cross-examination by perpetrators. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the
:03:35. > :03:38.Minister for His answer and welcome his announcement. Will he join me in
:03:39. > :03:42.commending the Southern scam domestic Abuse Service that helps
:03:43. > :03:46.victims of domestic violence report to the police and ensure he
:03:47. > :03:51.continues working with such charities to make sure the he have
:03:52. > :03:55.depks guidelines are followed. I'm happy to pay tribute to the work of
:03:56. > :04:01.organisations who help those who are victims of domestic violence. I know
:04:02. > :04:04.from talking to my honourable friend in Havant the particular service is
:04:05. > :04:14.an excellent one. Yes, so I agree with him. The domestic violence
:04:15. > :04:18.evidence requirement for Legal Aid. There was a clear admission that the
:04:19. > :04:23.scheme was not working and not fair. Since the Legal Aid sentencing and
:04:24. > :04:34.punishment of offenders Act the family courts have become more
:04:35. > :04:39.adversarial. The withdrawn of Legal Aid brings unfairness to those
:04:40. > :04:43.families. We promised at the tile that there would be a review of the
:04:44. > :04:47.Legal Aid provisions and we have announced the timetable for that
:04:48. > :04:51.review and that has been welcomed. But I agree with her, that we should
:04:52. > :04:56.have a process of constant improvement in trying to help the
:04:57. > :04:59.Venus Williams of domestic violence. The Government made huge progress
:05:00. > :05:03.tackling domestic violence at home and overseas, however, my surgeries
:05:04. > :05:07.are filled with peel suffering and have suffered from domestic violence
:05:08. > :05:13.stuck in the Family Court Stel. They are receiving Legal Aid, but this
:05:14. > :05:18.caused distress. I know the minister looks into these matters and issues,
:05:19. > :05:22.but will he meet with me after 8th June to discuss some of these cases
:05:23. > :05:27.further. Well, I would never take the electorate for granted, but if
:05:28. > :05:38.I'm here, I'll do it. Number two, Mr Speaker. This is a matter for the
:05:39. > :05:41.Home Office. The substance Act 2016 requires that legislation is
:05:42. > :05:46.reviewed within 30 months so the review to this will happen late
:05:47. > :05:50.2018. Wrexham, like many other towns up
:05:51. > :05:56.and down the country, is being blighted by the impact of so-called
:05:57. > :06:01.spice. I've received a letter this month from the Home Office which
:06:02. > :06:05.directly contradicted a letter from the minister on the question of
:06:06. > :06:13.whether possession of spice was an offence. This confusion is causing
:06:14. > :06:15.real problems in enforcement by police officers who have already had
:06:16. > :06:21.their numbers cut by this Government. Will the minister take
:06:22. > :06:24.this more seriously and act urgently to confront this really serious
:06:25. > :06:28.problem? I agree with the hob rable gentleman
:06:29. > :06:34.that it is a serious problem. It is also a problem that as I've said
:06:35. > :06:38.before, in our prisons. Possession of spice in a custodial setting an
:06:39. > :06:42.offence and is subject to imprisonment. I will look in more
:06:43. > :06:46.detail. If he can forward to me the letter from the Home Office and I
:06:47. > :06:53.will get back to him. Mr Speaker, could I say how much I welcome the
:06:54. > :06:59.2016 Act having lost two young men to what used to be called legal
:07:00. > :07:04.highs and that the extra powers it provides and the rigorous
:07:05. > :07:10.application of the law to rapidly changing chemicals is extremely
:07:11. > :07:15.welcome. I thank the honourable member for that particular question.
:07:16. > :07:19.I would like to emphasise that the possession of spice has been subject
:07:20. > :07:23.to further controls and that includes making them legal. That you
:07:24. > :07:27.have, Mr Speaker. As the minister will be aware, the use of spice and
:07:28. > :07:32.its impact on your communities is now raving epidemic levels. It is
:07:33. > :07:35.particularly hitting city centres, like Manchester and other towns and
:07:36. > :07:39.cities across the country. What discussions is the minister having
:07:40. > :07:44.with colleagues in other departments to get a proer handle and a
:07:45. > :07:50.crackdown on this issue because it is putting intolerable pressure on
:07:51. > :07:54.our public services? The honourable member makes an
:07:55. > :07:58.important point the it is a blight on some communities, but also in our
:07:59. > :08:03.prisons it fuels the disorder and violence that we have seen in our
:08:04. > :08:08.prisons. We take it extremely seriously and I am working with my
:08:09. > :08:13.colleagues in the Home Office to deal with this. Banning novel psycho
:08:14. > :08:16.active substances is one thick, but physically keeping them out of our
:08:17. > :08:20.prisons is quite another. Could the minister tell the House what active
:08:21. > :08:26.measures he's taking to prevent these substances getting inside our
:08:27. > :08:30.jails? The honourable gentleman is right.
:08:31. > :08:37.We are determined to keep these drugs out of our jails. That is why
:08:38. > :08:41.we have trained 300 dogs that detect these substances, but we have
:08:42. > :08:45.introduced a new drug test. The UK is the first jurisdiction in the
:08:46. > :08:48.world to do so. The testing has been ruled out. We can't comment on the
:08:49. > :08:53.impact yet because it started just last year, but we know from evidence
:08:54. > :08:57.that drugs testing does have a deterrent affect on use and
:08:58. > :09:01.possession the With four suspected deaths in one
:09:02. > :09:06.weekend at the start of this month in Belfast and the coroner reported
:09:07. > :09:10.that drug related deaths have doubled in the last two years, this
:09:11. > :09:16.is an important issue that affects cities across the United Kingdom.
:09:17. > :09:19.Can the minister confirm that his review will draw on implementation
:09:20. > :09:24.from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to get a picture how this
:09:25. > :09:28.legislation has been operating? The review will be carried out by the
:09:29. > :09:30.Home Office, buttual' sure the honourable member's question has
:09:31. > :09:40.been noted and it will be reflected in the review. Number three, Mr
:09:41. > :09:48.Speaker. Mr Speaker, extremism in prisons is something we take very
:09:49. > :09:51.seriously. The department has set-up a new directorate to oversea all
:09:52. > :09:55.aspects of our work onks tremism and terrorism and created a new joint
:09:56. > :10:00.unit between the prison and the Probation Service and the Home
:10:01. > :10:11.Office with enhanced resources to deliver our extremism strategy. I
:10:12. > :10:16.thank the Minister for That reply. Extremism in prisons means that
:10:17. > :10:22.vulnerable people such as those with mental health problems or on the
:10:23. > :10:26.autistic spectrum could be in this closed environment could be at risk.
:10:27. > :10:29.Could the minister tell me what work the Government is doing to protect
:10:30. > :10:32.people from extremism within the prison system and what adjustments
:10:33. > :10:37.are being made to help these particularly vulnerable people? What
:10:38. > :10:43.the Right Honourable lady as the chair of the all-party group for
:10:44. > :10:47.autism understands the particular vulnerabilities of these people
:10:48. > :10:52.within the prison system. The prison staff take extra care in monitoring
:10:53. > :10:58.and also understanding the threats to vulnerable people like people
:10:59. > :11:00.with autism and robustly intervene when there are any threats including
:11:01. > :11:10.extremism and radicalisation. There has been an issue with some
:11:11. > :11:13.religious converts being drawn into the extremist ideology and then
:11:14. > :11:17.going on to carry terrorist acts, not knowing the true values and
:11:18. > :11:21.teachings of religions. What specific steps are being taken to
:11:22. > :11:25.address this? And what extra support is being given to religious faith
:11:26. > :11:34.representatives to ensure that we tackle this issue? The Chair of the
:11:35. > :11:38.APPG on community engagement makes a vital point. We must be absolutely
:11:39. > :11:42.clear that the conversion to a religion or Islam doesn't
:11:43. > :11:46.necessarily mean radicalisation, but where in the prison estate this
:11:47. > :11:51.happens, there are education courses that people are encouraged to go on,
:11:52. > :11:53.but also support for religious leaders to make sure they do not get
:11:54. > :12:01.drawn to the poisonous ideology that sometimes seeks, often seeks to prey
:12:02. > :12:04.on vulnerable individuals. We reviewed this matter for the
:12:05. > :12:09.government, told the Justice committee only last year and I
:12:10. > :12:13.quote, "I do not have the confidence of the National offender management
:12:14. > :12:16.service, or indeed if I may be frank, has the capability or the
:12:17. > :12:20.will to me than some of the recommendations I have made." Does
:12:21. > :12:23.the Minister feel that his changes are not just recommendations that
:12:24. > :12:29.are being implemented, but recommendations that there is the
:12:30. > :12:33.capacity to deliver on? Absolutely. As I said right at the start, we
:12:34. > :12:38.have a new directorate to deal with this within Her Majesty 's prison
:12:39. > :12:41.and probation service. We also have a new team that is across the Home
:12:42. > :12:48.Office and the prison service dealing with this, with new funding
:12:49. > :12:50.to tackle this extremism strategy. The member of the select committee
:12:51. > :12:54.will also be aware that just last week, we announced the centres which
:12:55. > :13:00.were recommended in the review, which would remove the most
:13:01. > :13:05.poisonous individuals away from the main population of our prisons.
:13:06. > :13:09.There are about 1000 individuals have been identified as being
:13:10. > :13:13.extremist or vulnerable to extremism. The creation of the
:13:14. > :13:16.separation unit is welcome. However, the key is monitoring the people
:13:17. > :13:23.when they come out of prisons. Can he reassure us that this will
:13:24. > :13:29.happen? To be precise, there is about 700 people that are of
:13:30. > :13:33.concern. That 700, about 180 that are in prison or remand for
:13:34. > :13:37.terrorism related offences. The Right Honourable member is
:13:38. > :13:41.absolutely right about what happens when people come into the community.
:13:42. > :13:45.The multi-agency protection arrangements with law enforcement
:13:46. > :13:49.mean that they are subject to strict licence conditions and if they
:13:50. > :13:54.breach those licence conditions, they can and do and up in jail. The
:13:55. > :14:02.police are obviously part of this, and Mr Speaker, I would like take
:14:03. > :14:05.this opportunity to say thank you to the police, especially those who
:14:06. > :14:07.protect as here as we go about our daily jobs. Can the Minister state
:14:08. > :14:11.whether the government is planning on providing any specific training
:14:12. > :14:17.for prison officers to help identify those inmates with extremist
:14:18. > :14:21.tendencies? Prison officers play a vital role in combating extremism in
:14:22. > :14:27.our prisons, given their contact and proximity they have with prisoners.
:14:28. > :14:30.Last December, we rolled out a new extensive training programme for all
:14:31. > :14:36.our prison officers to enable them to identify this threat and help
:14:37. > :14:39.deal with it. Northern Ireland Minister has had to deal with
:14:40. > :14:43.extremism and prisons over last number of years. Segregation of
:14:44. > :14:48.loyalist and republican as examples. As the Minister had any opportunity
:14:49. > :14:50.to discuss this with the relevant Minister Northern Ireland to learn
:14:51. > :14:54.from what we have learned, to help you do your job here in the UK? We
:14:55. > :14:59.have looked very carefully at the lessons from Northern Ireland in
:15:00. > :15:03.setting up the separation centres which we announced last week. There
:15:04. > :15:09.are significant differences between what is happening in England versus
:15:10. > :15:13.Northern Ireland. No prison it will default to the separation centres.
:15:14. > :15:17.Ending up there will be as a result of their behaviour behind bars. It
:15:18. > :15:22.will be selected by a panel, obviously told why they have been
:15:23. > :15:26.selected. We will decide, or the panel will decide, where in the
:15:27. > :15:32.prison system they go to. So there are appropriate safeguards in place.
:15:33. > :15:38.These units would only affect small sections of the prison population.
:15:39. > :15:42.However, the lack of safety in our prisons is itself a potential
:15:43. > :15:46.breeding ground for extremism. Has a Secretary of State considered to
:15:47. > :15:52.what extent that environment of violence has contributed to
:15:53. > :15:56.extremism? The Honourable member is right. The separation centres would
:15:57. > :16:00.hold 28 prisoners based on our evidence. That is sufficient. We
:16:01. > :16:06.have a broader strategy to deal with extremism in our prisons, that
:16:07. > :16:10.includes support to religious leaders, looking at religious texts,
:16:11. > :16:16.and a range of education programmes to deal with the challenge of expert
:16:17. > :16:24.rumours in our prisons. -- of extremism. Prisoners delegated to
:16:25. > :16:29.separation unit will be able to appeal against the decision. It will
:16:30. > :16:34.be reviewed every three months. Given the recent decision not to
:16:35. > :16:37.deny aid to many prisoners is unlawful, will these individuals
:16:38. > :16:45.have access to publicly funded legal advice? We are considering the
:16:46. > :16:49.results of the Court of Appeal case and the government will make its
:16:50. > :16:52.position known as far as that is concerned. Of course as part of due
:16:53. > :16:58.process and prisons, if an individual is selected to go into
:16:59. > :17:02.these centres, it is right that the panel tells why there have been
:17:03. > :17:09.selected to go into that separation centre and allows them make
:17:10. > :17:12.representations. The Secretary of State for Justice, Liz Truss. The
:17:13. > :17:17.government is clear that we want a smooth and orderly exit from the EU.
:17:18. > :17:23.Legal certainty is fundamental to this, as is laid out in the Great
:17:24. > :17:26.Repeal Bill White Paper. We'll bring an end to the jurisdiction of the
:17:27. > :17:34.European Court of Justice, so that our courts will be the ultimate
:17:35. > :17:36.arbiters of our laws. Recognition of enforcement of judgments across the
:17:37. > :17:44.EU has benefited millions of citizens. The Law Society of
:17:45. > :17:49.Scotland, if we leave the EU without mechanisms, the likely outcome is
:17:50. > :17:57.that the weakest empress members of society will suffer. I completely
:17:58. > :18:00.agree that meter enforceability of judgments, civil judicial
:18:01. > :18:05.cooperation is important, that is why we have made it a priority and
:18:06. > :18:11.Brexit negotiations. -- that mutual enforceability. The Justice
:18:12. > :18:14.committee's report on the implications of leaving the European
:18:15. > :18:19.Union for the justice system, published last month. In particular,
:18:20. > :18:24.the stress we laid based upon overwhelming evidence of the
:18:25. > :18:28.importance firstly of continuing cooperation in criminal justice
:18:29. > :18:31.matters, including information sharing, recognition of judgments
:18:32. > :18:38.and proper transitional arrangements so that commercial and civil justice
:18:39. > :18:43.sectors have certainty going forward. He is absolutely right, and
:18:44. > :18:49.I would add family to that list, family law cooperation is extremely
:18:50. > :18:52.important. We are working closely with the legal profession. There is
:18:53. > :18:56.a working group looking at working with the industry across Europe. It
:18:57. > :19:03.is a key priority as part of Brexit negotiations. Does the Secretary of
:19:04. > :19:07.State share my concern that leaving the EU will weaken our power in
:19:08. > :19:11.terms of extradition? She will know that I have had a case of someone
:19:12. > :19:15.who fled to Pakistan after killing 11 members of her family. We've been
:19:16. > :19:20.working across Europe to try and bring this man back. He is now in
:19:21. > :19:25.prison in Pakistan. Will getting out of the European Union hamper
:19:26. > :19:28.extradition in the future? We are working very closely with the Home
:19:29. > :19:31.Office on criminal Justice cooperation. We want to secure a
:19:32. > :19:36.good deal. But I think it's important that we all get behind
:19:37. > :19:44.what the British people voted for, and get a secured deal with the
:19:45. > :19:48.European Union. Brexit wheel in a new, deregulated environment provide
:19:49. > :19:51.a great opportunity for legal services -- exit will. What plans as
:19:52. > :19:58.the government how to support legal services abroad after the exit? He
:19:59. > :20:03.is absolutely right. Four out of ten of the top global legal firms are
:20:04. > :20:08.based in the UK. We have huge opportunities to promote English
:20:09. > :20:13.law, Scots law and wing working on a global Britain legal Summit to bring
:20:14. > :20:18.together leading figures in the industry to promote what we do
:20:19. > :20:23.overseas -- and we are working. My Bulgarian constituent murdered his
:20:24. > :20:27.wife by stabbing her to death 25 times in broad daylight. The Home
:20:28. > :20:30.Office has finally agreed to have him deported, but what assurances
:20:31. > :20:36.can Secretary of State give me that he will serve his full sentence
:20:37. > :20:42.Bulgaria, both pre-Brexit and praised Brexit? It's important that
:20:43. > :20:46.that individual is brought to justice -- and post Brexit. That is
:20:47. > :20:50.part of how we arrange prisoner transfer agreement. That will be
:20:51. > :20:56.part of Brexit discussions. Does right honourable friend agree that
:20:57. > :21:02.we cannot remain part of the European single market, because that
:21:03. > :21:05.would inevitably mean that the European Court of Justice would
:21:06. > :21:11.retain jurisdiction over us, and that is exactly not what the British
:21:12. > :21:15.people voted for? My honourable friend is absolutely right. We are
:21:16. > :21:19.leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. The
:21:20. > :21:23.ultimate arbiters of our laws will be our own courts here in the UK.
:21:24. > :21:32.And that is incompatible with being in the single market. Number five,
:21:33. > :21:37.Mr Speaker. With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to group this
:21:38. > :21:43.with questions 12 and 13. Can I start by paying tribute to the
:21:44. > :21:47.Honourable member for Chelmsford, who is 30 years in the house have
:21:48. > :21:54.been a joy to behold, although I've only been here for seven of them.
:21:55. > :21:59.And we recently visited Chelmsford prison together. And I saw
:22:00. > :22:02.first-hand his commitment to his constituents, but also to the cause
:22:03. > :22:09.of improving prisons in this country. And I can say that
:22:10. > :22:14.Chelmsford prison is one of the ten prisons that we selected to have the
:22:15. > :22:20.early recruitment of prison officers. We said there would be 400
:22:21. > :22:25.prison officers recruited by the end of March. I can confirm that those
:22:26. > :22:31.prison officers are in training, or in post in those prisons, including
:22:32. > :22:34.in Chelmsford. May thank my right honourable friend for those
:22:35. > :22:40.extremely kind and generous comment at the beginning of her answer. And
:22:41. > :22:45.can I say to her, following the recognition that more staff is
:22:46. > :22:50.needed at Chelmsford prison, I welcome the fact that staff have
:22:51. > :22:56.been trained up. Does she know yet when the staff are likely to come on
:22:57. > :22:59.stream, so as to ensure that we have the proper staffing levels and the
:23:00. > :23:04.proper protection for prison officers? Well, I can tell the
:23:05. > :23:09.honourable gentleman that the period of training for a prison officer is
:23:10. > :23:14.ten weeks. So we'll be looking at that very shortly. There have been
:23:15. > :23:19.43 job offers made for new prison officers at Chelmsford. That is
:23:20. > :23:23.since November. Following the visit that he and I did to Chelmsford
:23:24. > :23:28.prison, one of the things we were able to announce is a raise in
:23:29. > :23:32.salaries, a raise in starting salaries for prison officers at
:23:33. > :23:41.Chelmsford. They will now be paid a minimum of ?26,500. Prison officers
:23:42. > :23:46.have to be both tough and humane. It is a difficult path and a difficult
:23:47. > :23:49.job to do. Can the Secretary of State tell us what plans he has to
:23:50. > :23:54.increase the professionalism of the people who do this job, which in
:23:55. > :23:59.turn may help with their attention -- what plans she has? Can I first
:24:00. > :24:03.say what a fantastic group of professionals we have in the prison
:24:04. > :24:07.officers in our country. What I want to make sure is that we have good
:24:08. > :24:12.career progression right through from entering the prison service to
:24:13. > :24:16.becoming a governor, that we have training, we're launching a new
:24:17. > :24:23.apprenticeship scheme for officers to make sure that people have the
:24:24. > :24:28.right skills all the way through. Number 13, Mr Speaker. This has been
:24:29. > :24:33.grouped with this question. We want to enjoy his eloquence now? Thank
:24:34. > :24:41.you, Mr Speaker. Can I ask my right honourable friend about the unlock
:24:42. > :24:50.scheme, whether it is rolling out on whether the graduates will start? My
:24:51. > :24:54.honourable friend mentions the Unlock scheme, which is like a Teach
:24:55. > :24:59.First for the prison service. There we have had a great number of
:25:00. > :25:04.applications. The first assessment was held on the 1st of April. We're
:25:05. > :25:07.able to offer 60 candidates places, there will start training on the
:25:08. > :25:12.18th of July. This is important for bringing top graduate into our
:25:13. > :25:20.prisons. But also exposing employers to the fantastic work that goes on
:25:21. > :25:23.in our prisons. Although welcome the recruitment of prison officers, but
:25:24. > :25:27.doesn't she agree that the problems in our prisons stem from the
:25:28. > :25:32.mistaken actions of her government in cutting 6000 officers in the
:25:33. > :25:36.first place? I've been very clear that we do need to recruit more
:25:37. > :25:43.prison officers. It's been my number one priority in this job. We're on
:25:44. > :25:48.track to achieve the 2500 officers. We faced a number of challenges
:25:49. > :25:51.across our present state, we've already talked about psychoactive
:25:52. > :25:55.substances, drones and mobile phones. But I am clear that we need
:25:56. > :26:00.the prison office in place, and what we will be able to do when we have
:26:01. > :26:06.achieved the 2500, is that every officer will have six prisoners'
:26:07. > :26:07.caseload to look after, and that will help us turn those lives
:26:08. > :26:17.around. I've been pressing for a number of
:26:18. > :26:21.years for a new prison and my constituency. Hopefully that will
:26:22. > :26:26.take place in the next couple of years. Will the Minister undertake
:26:27. > :26:30.to ensure that any future Government will make that took place so that it
:26:31. > :26:36.is not forget her best practice to ensure the best possible outcomes? I
:26:37. > :26:42.absolutely agree. We need to learn from each other to make sure our
:26:43. > :26:45.prisons to the best possible jobs. Of course, they are there to punish
:26:46. > :26:54.offenders but they must also a nice run. -- must also turn their lives
:26:55. > :26:59.around. I wonder what the make of the high levels of turnover on
:27:00. > :27:03.prison staff and the effect of this on the culture. Low pay rates, low
:27:04. > :27:11.prospects add nothing to encourage people to come in. In prisons in
:27:12. > :27:16.England and Wales, in fact 80% of our staff have been with us for more
:27:17. > :27:20.than five years. What I want to make sure is that we retain and train up
:27:21. > :27:25.these experienced staff, which is why we are creating 2000 new posts
:27:26. > :27:35.at grade four mag. They will earn ?50,000. This will help us to retain
:27:36. > :27:40.it our staff. Can you clarify whether any plans are there to
:27:41. > :27:43.increase numbers of staff to provide education and training to prisoners
:27:44. > :27:50.to help them get employment when they come out and stop reoffending?
:27:51. > :27:55.We are making sure that governors decide how education is going to
:27:56. > :27:59.work in their prisons. We set standards, how fast prisoners
:28:00. > :28:04.progress in English and maths, either getting the vocational and
:28:05. > :28:10.work skills they need? I was recently in a prison that was
:28:11. > :28:24.working with Halfords, getting pupils into employment. Number six,
:28:25. > :28:27.Mr Speaker. With their permission, Mr Speaker, I'd like to group this
:28:28. > :28:36.question with questions eight and 16. I believe the question refers to
:28:37. > :28:39.petition number one. Our behalf of Campbell...
:28:40. > :28:47.I recognise the hard work and dedication of the Honourable members
:28:48. > :28:55.involved in the questioning. Historical matters are not a matter
:28:56. > :29:06.for the Ministry of Justice, so it would be inappropriate for me to
:29:07. > :29:10.comment. Thank you, Mr Speaker. In 1984, workers at the shipyard to
:29:11. > :29:16.official strike action over job losses, just as the Thatcher
:29:17. > :29:20.Government were trying to privatise British shipbuilders. They were
:29:21. > :29:25.dismissed, jailed in a category a prison and they lost their
:29:26. > :29:28.redundancy and pension rights. The minister has tried to give as a
:29:29. > :29:31.technical and a bottle of the undertake to release all of the
:29:32. > :29:39.documents relating to the decision to prosecute and the severity of the
:29:40. > :29:45.sentence. So that this clear miscarriage of justice can finally
:29:46. > :29:51.be put right. I thank the Honourable Lady for a question and I consider
:29:52. > :29:58.that it is the case. -- I am sympathetic to this case and the
:29:59. > :30:03.individual. The commission has the power to review and investigate
:30:04. > :30:08.miscarriages of justice. Whether there is the possibility that the
:30:09. > :30:14.division or sentence will not be upheld, the professional might be
:30:15. > :30:25.treated as a new appeal. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Ten Cammell Laird
:30:26. > :30:29.workers and one apprentice have died since those events. Without answers
:30:30. > :30:34.as to who and why those decisions were taken to imprison them. Surely
:30:35. > :30:40.it is now time to call family members and the trade union. To do
:30:41. > :30:43.the right thing and have a proper enquiry and publish the information
:30:44. > :30:53.that the Government has access to. What is there to hide? This is
:30:54. > :30:59.clearly a difficult case for the people concerned. But as I said,
:31:00. > :31:03.where a conviction is subsequently quashed, compensation can be sought
:31:04. > :31:09.by a navigation to the miscarriages of justice application servers. I'm
:31:10. > :31:15.not in a position to comment on whether a future Government shooting
:31:16. > :31:19.gauge in enquiry or not, but I can insure you that as I am returned to
:31:20. > :31:24.this role after the election I will look at this case further. -- a
:31:25. > :31:29.future Government should engage in any choir or not. Mr Speaker, this
:31:30. > :31:32.is the last time I will speak in this house. I was kid miserably
:31:33. > :31:38.should be an aborted question. This was something I championed as shadow
:31:39. > :31:45.Europe minister and I was delighted when the European Union joint. This
:31:46. > :31:50.is about papers that the Government holds. I'm offering that the
:31:51. > :31:55.Minister will respect that this is my last time and we give me the
:31:56. > :31:58.proper answer. Will the Minister committed to giving the paper is
:31:59. > :32:01.that the Government hold and was an end to one of the most shameful
:32:02. > :32:09.episodes in British industrial relations? I thank you for your
:32:10. > :32:13.question. She has presented apical of the country, which I have some
:32:14. > :32:23.family roots in. -- a beautiful part of the country. This case is clearly
:32:24. > :32:28.an emotive one, judging by the response is opposite. If I am
:32:29. > :32:34.returned to this position after the election, I will look at this
:32:35. > :32:39.situation once again. I will not make any commitments to decide an
:32:40. > :32:42.election on it. -- this side of the election on it. I recognise the
:32:43. > :32:52.importance of the case and the emotive nature of it. GMB union
:32:53. > :32:54.research questions for its interference in the Cammell Laird
:32:55. > :32:58.dispute. The pitcher remains incomplete because of withheld
:32:59. > :33:06.documents. That favour of Government is being defined by state fondling.
:33:07. > :33:16.Hillsborough, grave, Cammell Laird. Is this interview this is -- if this
:33:17. > :33:19.interference extends to the prosecution of these people, don't
:33:20. > :33:24.they have the right to know? I do not share such a jaundiced view of
:33:25. > :33:32.the Conservative Government of the 1980s. As I have said, this case I
:33:33. > :33:38.have a look at again once we are outside of broader.
:33:39. > :33:42.I hope that the Conservative Government is returned and expected
:33:43. > :33:49.to be the case. I promise to look at this case again in detail them. As
:33:50. > :33:52.this is the last week of questions, and especially keen to get through
:33:53. > :33:54.the order paper. Can I appeal to colleagues to help each other to
:33:55. > :34:24.achieve this objective? my apologies, Mr Speaker. Prisons
:34:25. > :34:32.should be places of punishment. They also need to be places of reform. An
:34:33. > :34:36.unhappy pool -- about half the people to leave prison reoffend
:34:37. > :34:40.within the. Improving family ties and getting them into work are
:34:41. > :34:46.critical to reducing reoffending. This is why we are giving governors
:34:47. > :34:49.power over these issues. Hopefully on Thursday my private members bill
:34:50. > :34:57.will become the homelessness reduction act. Under that act, was
:34:58. > :35:06.in governors have a duty to provide prisoners with help for life so they
:35:07. > :35:12.don't reoffend. What can -- was communication to train his governors
:35:13. > :35:15.has been given in preparation? Can I commend the Honourable friend and
:35:16. > :35:22.his drastic bill that he is putting through the House of Commons. -- is
:35:23. > :35:25.that has to go. We have visited governors talking to them about the
:35:26. > :35:31.powers they have over areas like preparing prisoners for police,
:35:32. > :35:41.education and employment. Housing is one of the issues we cover. Mr
:35:42. > :35:44.Speaker, a new governor was appointed in January 2017 and is
:35:45. > :35:52.developing an action plan in response to the issues in this
:35:53. > :36:02.prison. Could she set out how the Government's prison reform will help
:36:03. > :36:06.HMP Lewes, particularly prisoners that are trying to stop reoffending
:36:07. > :36:12.and the people that do a difficult job? A key part of the programme is
:36:13. > :36:14.adding 2500 staff to our prison service. As far as my pussy is
:36:15. > :36:39.concerned, 24 prisoners will reoffend less if they
:36:40. > :36:42.get sustainable work. Whilst many private-sector employers are rising
:36:43. > :36:51.to the challenge of providing offenders with extra work, good day
:36:52. > :36:57.-- could we do what is happening in the public sector? Employment in
:36:58. > :37:04.prisons but also preparing prisoners for employment under these is vital
:37:05. > :37:07.to stopping reoffending. The new futures network, which my right
:37:08. > :37:11.honourable friend the Secretary of State has launched, will work with a
:37:12. > :37:15.range of organisations, including public sector organisations, to help
:37:16. > :37:29.create employment opportunities for prisoners. Question number 15. The
:37:30. > :37:35.answer is yes. Amnesty International, liberty and other
:37:36. > :37:38.human rights groups have raised the issue of diminished human rights
:37:39. > :37:47.provision as a result of the Great Repeal Bill and the Government
:37:48. > :37:50.attempt to change the statute books. Can the Minister provide more detail
:37:51. > :38:00.on the extent of this correction powers and whether this will include
:38:01. > :38:03.human rights protection? I can't make any announcements today. As I
:38:04. > :38:08.explained in giving evidence to two select committees, it is not our
:38:09. > :38:12.intention to have any gaps in our forum human rights protection in
:38:13. > :38:23.this country. Why is it reasonable to expect our own justices to be any
:38:24. > :38:25.less creative than European ones? Well, we do want a British
:38:26. > :38:32.jurisprudence and that's what we will have fallen Brexit. -- have
:38:33. > :38:36.fallen Brexit. Human rights were not invented with the Human Rights Act.
:38:37. > :38:43.This country has been a leading pioneer in human rights since its
:38:44. > :38:47.first gasps of breath as a nation. I don't think there is any reason for
:38:48. > :38:54.us to think that we would continue to express our values. Why is this
:38:55. > :38:59.Government continuing to confuse and deceive people got the Convention of
:39:00. > :39:08.human rights is anything to do with the EU? Somehow signed up to -- it
:39:09. > :39:15.was signed up to buy nations just after the worst war in history. We
:39:16. > :39:19.try to uphold our vision of Winston Churchill, he spoke up for the need
:39:20. > :39:32.for rights across Europe. He didn't mean me or you. Mr Speaker,
:39:33. > :39:38.questionable 17. -- question 17. Yes, we are in favour. The European
:39:39. > :39:48.Convention on human rights guarantees the right to free and
:39:49. > :39:52.fair elections. The of the legislatures in this country are
:39:53. > :39:55.unelected members of the House of Lords. -- the vast majority of the
:39:56. > :40:03.legislators. Have you ever considered whether this is
:40:04. > :40:06.compatible with the EC are? I have looked at the reform of the House of
:40:07. > :40:10.Lords in the last moment and I believe we took legal advice on
:40:11. > :40:18.every possible issue and if you'd like to review proceedings you will
:40:19. > :40:21.enjoy. Even though the Honourable Lady is a very distinguished lawyer
:40:22. > :40:29.I shall still appeal to her for a reasonable brevity. Earlier this
:40:30. > :40:36.month, I met with UN officials in New York to discuss human rights
:40:37. > :40:43.issues. They were appalled to hear that we were going to be campaigning
:40:44. > :40:49.to restore the UK from the European Commission of human rights. Can I
:40:50. > :40:52.take what the man just said that this is not going to be in the
:40:53. > :41:00.jewellery party manifesto for the 8th of June?
:41:01. > :41:11.Albie not be launching the manifesto here... Laughter. But I have given
:41:12. > :41:18.my answer to the gentleman. Article eight guarantees the right to access
:41:19. > :41:22.to quality-of-life and family life. The government has been written to
:41:23. > :41:27.says that the controversial rape clause raises serious issues under
:41:28. > :41:35.article eight. Can we assume that the government's insistence on
:41:36. > :41:38.continuing with it, is this one which they find inconvenient? The
:41:39. > :41:44.government is committed to supporting victims of rape and
:41:45. > :41:48.domestic abuse. This is crucial to protect women who are faced with
:41:49. > :41:51.very difficult circumstances, which is what the government has been
:41:52. > :41:56.doing with the reformer she refers to. As part of these reforms, we
:41:57. > :42:00.have made sure that victims can use third sector professionals to
:42:01. > :42:06.endorse their claim while they receive support to help them cope
:42:07. > :42:19.and recover. No government has a better record on protecting victims.
:42:20. > :42:24.The family Court has powers to address a breach if someone has been
:42:25. > :42:28.wilfully obstructive. Where the child's welfare requires it, the
:42:29. > :42:31.court can transfer the child's residence to the other party. This
:42:32. > :42:35.government is keen there should be effective action, and a green paper
:42:36. > :42:42.on family Justice has already been announced. I'm grateful to my right
:42:43. > :42:45.honourable friend for his answer. Unfortunately, enforcement is a
:42:46. > :42:49.serious problem in the courts because of the criminal threshold
:42:50. > :42:53.and lack of effective penalty. In some of the worst cases, the
:42:54. > :42:59.nonresident parent can be cut out of the child's life. Will he agree that
:43:00. > :43:03.this issue needs are addressed if we are to see equity in the family
:43:04. > :43:08.justice system? It is right that there should be a clear system for
:43:09. > :43:13.establishing the facts about breach, and that then it should be possible
:43:14. > :43:18.to deal with the bridge effectively. As I have indicated to my honourable
:43:19. > :43:22.friend and of course unable to make any announcement today, but a green
:43:23. > :43:25.paper has been announced for later in the year and she and I have
:43:26. > :43:34.already had the opportunity of discussing some of her ideas.
:43:35. > :43:38.Question number 20, Mr Speaker. We are investing over ?1 billion to
:43:39. > :43:43.create a straightforward quartz and tribunal system so that people can
:43:44. > :43:49.have confidence in using the system themselves -- a straightforward
:43:50. > :43:54.caught and tribunal system. The current reliance on printed
:43:55. > :43:59.documents in quartz bothers people with unnecessary costs, and the UK
:44:00. > :44:04.lags behind many countries including Australia, and even Turkey in the
:44:05. > :44:07.use of technology in civil claims. Does he agree that we must speed up
:44:08. > :44:15.the process of digitising courts in England and Wales if we are to
:44:16. > :44:19.maintain our status? He is absolutely right. I agree with him.
:44:20. > :44:23.We are making progress. We have equipped our criminal courts to work
:44:24. > :44:28.digitally, reducing reliance on paper bundles. We are doing the same
:44:29. > :44:33.in the civil courts. We have saved in one year an enormous pile of
:44:34. > :44:43.paper. Devotees of these questions know that I measure this by the
:44:44. > :44:49.height of the shard. We have now saved 4.3 Shard loads of paper.
:44:50. > :44:52.Prisoners are more likely to have mental health problems than the
:44:53. > :44:57.broader population. We are looking at custody and community, and
:44:58. > :45:01.improving the mental health offering both in terms of looking at a
:45:02. > :45:11.community protocol to be followed and indeed enhancing custodial
:45:12. > :45:17.services. There were 119 prison suicides in 2016, an increase in 32%
:45:18. > :45:21.over the previous year. And over 10,000 prisoners self harming, up
:45:22. > :45:24.19%. Will he agree that these are appalling statistics, and what will
:45:25. > :45:32.the government do to address this human misery? Each and every one of
:45:33. > :45:37.those cases is a human tragedy. I have looked at quite a large number
:45:38. > :45:43.of them in detail, and was at a women's prison last week, in which
:45:44. > :45:48.suicide took place. We are investing money at the prison I visited last
:45:49. > :45:53.week into better health care facilities, and I'm also looking at
:45:54. > :46:05.the access to secure accommodation across the country, because this may
:46:06. > :46:07.very well be an issue. 22. The government introduced an amendment
:46:08. > :46:12.to prison rules last week, meaning prisoners can be placed in a
:46:13. > :46:16.separation centre if they are involved in planning terrorism or
:46:17. > :46:18.considered to pose a risk to national security. Those spreading
:46:19. > :46:24.views that might encourage or influence others to commit a
:46:25. > :46:31.terrorist crimes, or any views which undermines good conduct in prisons,
:46:32. > :46:36.may be placed in the centre 's. What is he doing to ensure that prisoners
:46:37. > :46:42.with extremist beliefs do not oppress other prisoners for their
:46:43. > :46:47.faith? Of course people convert to religion for all sorts of reasons in
:46:48. > :46:53.prison. Conversion does not mean radicalisation. It is important that
:46:54. > :46:57.we have a regime in prisons where people who convert are not exploited
:46:58. > :47:02.in any way. The separation centres are one way of removing dangerous
:47:03. > :47:13.people, but obviously education and the support of risen offices plays a
:47:14. > :47:20.vital role. 23 -- OTT support of prison officers plays a vital role.
:47:21. > :47:24.As someone who is a strong advocate of citizens in the community,
:47:25. > :47:31.reoffending rates are mixed across the country and we continue to look
:47:32. > :47:36.at it closely to see exactly what it is that reduces reoffending, and to
:47:37. > :47:41.see what works. Isn't it a fact that most women in prisons are themselves
:47:42. > :47:46.extremely vulnerable, they have been victims themselves. They have been
:47:47. > :47:50.victims of domestic abuse, addiction, mental health problems
:47:51. > :47:57.and so on. Women's centres actually deal with the whole problem. I was a
:47:58. > :48:00.Home Office minister who helped persuade the baroness to produce her
:48:01. > :48:05.excellent report. We did it because of the number of women killing
:48:06. > :48:10.themselves in jail. The government is planning new women's jails. More
:48:11. > :48:14.women will murder themselves, we are at a record level. How will he stop
:48:15. > :48:20.that happening without investing in women's centres? I should have said,
:48:21. > :48:25.the best of luck to the honourable lady as she stands down at this
:48:26. > :48:30.election. She represents a town I know very well, and I know she is a
:48:31. > :48:33.particularly popular Member of Parliament. With regards to her
:48:34. > :48:39.question, the building of the prisons shouldn't be interpreted as
:48:40. > :48:44.increasing the number of places to lock women in. I agree with you
:48:45. > :48:47.women often have very complex problems, and I am trying to
:48:48. > :48:51.increase the number of women's centres in the country for that
:48:52. > :48:54.reason. Because bringing everything under the same roof can help these
:48:55. > :49:01.women to make the right to turn in life, away from crime. Topical
:49:02. > :49:08.questions. Topical number one, Mr Speaker. In November, I committed
:49:09. > :49:13.that the government would invest an additional ?100 million annually to
:49:14. > :49:17.recruit 2500 prison officers. I can confirm that our recruitment figures
:49:18. > :49:22.show we are on track to deliver this. On the 3rd of April, we
:49:23. > :49:27.launched the new recruitment campaign to encourage more people to
:49:28. > :49:30.apply. We also launched the new graduate programme. That programme
:49:31. > :49:35.is now offering over 60 places this year. It is vital that we strengthen
:49:36. > :49:41.the front line to turn our prisons into places of safety and reform,
:49:42. > :49:45.and to reduce unacceptable levels of violence. This is my number one
:49:46. > :49:49.priority as Secretary of State. Of course this will take time. We will
:49:50. > :49:56.not fix our problems in weeks or months, but I think these figures
:49:57. > :49:59.show we are making real progress. With three secretaries of state
:50:00. > :50:03.including the former Justice Secretary last year taking the view
:50:04. > :50:11.that families in Hull deserve to find out what had happened to their
:50:12. > :50:14.babies' Ashes, why is it that the current Secretary of State refuses
:50:15. > :50:21.to back the call from those families for an independent enquiry in Hull?
:50:22. > :50:23.I'm very sympathetic to the honourable lady's concerns, and I
:50:24. > :50:30.offer my sympathy to her constituents. We are supportive of
:50:31. > :50:34.local historic investigations, but we don't plan to order a historic
:50:35. > :50:37.enquiry in whole or elsewhere. Howell has made significant
:50:38. > :50:44.improvements, including putting in place measures to improve practice
:50:45. > :50:53.-- Hull has made significant improvements. Following the
:50:54. > :50:57.important work done by the parents of my constituents, who was
:50:58. > :51:00.tragically killed by a hit-and-run incident and representations I've
:51:01. > :51:03.made to the Secretary of State, can my right honourable friend confirm
:51:04. > :51:08.if she intends to see through the progress already made for tougher
:51:09. > :51:14.sentences for dangerous drivers in the next Parliament, should the
:51:15. > :51:18.Conservatives be re-elected to Parliament? If we return to
:51:19. > :51:22.government, of course we will look to see through these vital reforms.
:51:23. > :51:26.Yesterday the Leader of the Opposition confirmed a Labour leader
:51:27. > :51:31.would launch enquiries into blacklisting. The current government
:51:32. > :51:36.has blocked all such efforts. Successive secretaries have also
:51:37. > :51:40.refused to release papers regarding the Shrewsbury 24. With the
:51:41. > :51:43.secretary do the decent thing, review the decision and release the
:51:44. > :51:47.papers to give those men and their families a chance of Justice? I'm
:51:48. > :51:55.sure the honourable gentleman understands that we are currently
:51:56. > :52:00.unable to make announcements at this point. According to the legal
:52:01. > :52:05.commentator Joshua Rosenberg, this is the Secretary of State's very
:52:06. > :52:10.last justice questions. I will give her one last chance. In March, the
:52:11. > :52:13.Lord Chief Justice said she was completely and utterly wrong to say
:52:14. > :52:18.she could not speak up for the judiciary in the face of personal
:52:19. > :52:23.abuse. Will she finally admit that rather than do her duty, the
:52:24. > :52:30.Secretary of State kowtowed to have friends in the press? I'm a great
:52:31. > :52:37.believer in a strong, independent judiciary. But a free press is
:52:38. > :52:40.important in our democracy. I don't think we should be in a position
:52:41. > :52:46.where government ministers are saying what is and is not acceptable
:52:47. > :52:52.for the press to print. Colchester is the home to the military
:52:53. > :52:57.corrective training facility. We'll secretary state if this government
:52:58. > :53:03.is returned, visit this with me and see what the civilian prisoners can
:53:04. > :53:06.learn from that? I have heard great things about the facility he talked
:53:07. > :53:14.about in Colchester. I would be delighted to come and visit him,
:53:15. > :53:19.maybe in the next few weeks. I was recently called to do jury service
:53:20. > :53:26.and got the chance to experience first-hand the current state of our
:53:27. > :53:35.courts. The jury canteen had to close down because it malfunctioned.
:53:36. > :53:38.The ladies toilet malfunction. The computers malfunctioned, surgeries
:53:39. > :53:45.couldn't even be chosen. And despite the fantastic and very patient work
:53:46. > :53:54.that the employees of the courts system do, it was at maths and in
:53:55. > :53:59.need of substantial financial investment -- it was in a mess. She
:54:00. > :54:04.should not be proud of her record in this matter, and what is she going
:54:05. > :54:12.to do about it? What we are doing about this is investing ?1 billion
:54:13. > :54:16.in modernising our courts, bringing more cases online, improving the
:54:17. > :54:20.physical facilities, including all aspects of the way our courts
:54:21. > :54:24.operate. I launched a joint statement with the judiciary late
:54:25. > :54:29.last year talking about precisely this. I recently visited Dickson
:54:30. > :54:35.house, and improved premises in Ferrum which provides accommodation
:54:36. > :54:42.to prisoners as they transition to life outside prison. Can we paid
:54:43. > :54:48.tribute to the team there, and outline what support is available to
:54:49. > :54:54.offenders so that they don't fall into homelessness after criminality?
:54:55. > :54:59.I pay tribute to the staff that, and all those who work in approved
:55:00. > :55:02.premises around the country. They do a great job. The accommodation of
:55:03. > :55:06.ex-offenders when they leave approved premises is an important
:55:07. > :55:10.issues. We are working with the Department for communities, but also
:55:11. > :55:14.the local government Association to work out ways in which we can
:55:15. > :55:19.improve this, including statutory guidance. My constituent was the
:55:20. > :55:23.victim of a road crash which left him paralysed from the neck dime.
:55:24. > :55:28.His father said he can never take care of himself, or have a normal
:55:29. > :55:37.life -- paralysed from the neck down. The man who caused the crash
:55:38. > :55:40.had taken cannabis and had 81 previous offences. At the time of
:55:41. > :55:46.the crash, he was banned for careless driving. He received just
:55:47. > :55:50.three years and four months, despite destroying my constituent's life.
:55:51. > :55:52.Can the minister pledged to look into the effectiveness of driving
:55:53. > :56:11.bans? I firmly believe that the punishment
:56:12. > :56:16.must fit the crime. There is a general collection coming up but if
:56:17. > :56:22.a Conservative Government is elected, and surely will see this
:56:23. > :56:27.through. We had a landmark legislation that made revenge upon a
:56:28. > :56:32.specific offence. Any spring, there was a high-profile case where a
:56:33. > :56:38.serial offender what free with a caution. One victim was a miner and
:56:39. > :56:42.images posted with incitement are still online. What more can the
:56:43. > :56:49.Government do to make sure this ground-breaking legislation really
:56:50. > :56:52.delivers justice. Can I say that my noble friend is someone that is
:56:53. > :57:02.known for the way in which she has breast incidents -- she has pressed
:57:03. > :57:06.incidents of criminality for proper and effective punishment. In this
:57:07. > :57:09.particular instance, it is a relatively new offence. The good
:57:10. > :57:16.news is that many people have come forward since it came into force
:57:17. > :57:22.reporting incidences of disclosure. There been a number of prosecutions.
:57:23. > :57:31.Over 60 constituents offer. It is early days but I agree that we need
:57:32. > :57:34.to treat these cases seriously. As a result of community rehabilitation
:57:35. > :57:40.company is experiencing significant difficulties with the contracts. For
:57:41. > :57:42.how many of the 21 community real politician companies are new payment
:57:43. > :57:48.arrangements now agreed and in place. --?
:57:49. > :57:51.arrangements now agreed and in place. We have been working on this
:57:52. > :57:57.issue very carefully and will be announcing the results in due
:57:58. > :58:02.course. I will come my right honourable friend's commitment that
:58:03. > :58:08.a fresh preservative Government -- Conservative Government is committed
:58:09. > :58:17.to prison reform. Will she guarantee the evidence of a just as committed
:58:18. > :58:21.to great -- place a excellent? I think the chairman of the select
:58:22. > :58:27.committee for its question. I know how committed he is to prison
:58:28. > :58:30.reform. I have to tell them that our manifesto will be announced in due
:58:31. > :58:37.course and the Prime Minister will make these decisions. This afternoon
:58:38. > :58:44.in parliament, the families of four British soldiers murdered by the
:58:45. > :58:51.Iranian in Hyde Park -- by the IRA in Hyde Park are hoping to bring it
:58:52. > :58:57.the suspect to justice. Will the Secretary of State made with members
:58:58. > :59:01.and peers who support the victim's campaign in order to make sure that
:59:02. > :59:08.he is funding available so that just as they been denied for 35 years can
:59:09. > :59:12.be remedied? Can I say that the deepest sympathies remain with these
:59:13. > :59:22.affected by the dreadful Hyde Park bombing is? Terrible atrocities that
:59:23. > :59:25.were in a dreadful situation for the nation at the time. Legal aid
:59:26. > :59:32.decisions on cases such as these are made by an integrated process. A
:59:33. > :59:39.breast at a nation was given by the agency on the 2nd of February. -- a
:59:40. > :59:43.fresh determination. It is my understanding that there is a right
:59:44. > :59:49.of review and the case is ongoing with the legally agency. I cannot
:59:50. > :59:53.comment further at this time. The decision without a medal for any
:59:54. > :00:00.meetings occur. The decision not to receive appropriate fees is welcome.
:00:01. > :00:02.That is these increases would have fallen disproportionately by London
:00:03. > :00:08.and the south-east because of the cost of housing. Canny Secretary of
:00:09. > :00:17.State confirm that the next Conservative Government will not
:00:18. > :00:22.proceed on this basis? ? I'm afraid we are not in a position to say what
:00:23. > :00:28.is going to be in the manifesto. I think my honourable friend press
:00:29. > :00:35.comments that will take account of. And helping families from across
:00:36. > :00:39.Mike assiduously have been denied access to justice because of the
:00:40. > :00:44.cuts. These cuts have been said to be undermining human rights. Was
:00:45. > :00:50.that speaking for the Government when he spoke for a review? Was his
:00:51. > :00:54.promise a cynical ploy to deflect attention from the damages plus
:00:55. > :01:02.having on my community and the rest of the country. I know Simon Hughes
:01:03. > :01:06.well having been his opponent in the 1987 general election and I think
:01:07. > :01:12.I'm still president of the Conservatives.
:01:13. > :01:18.LAUGHTER I deny I'm the only member. There
:01:19. > :01:23.are quite a few. The Government has announced the timetable for the
:01:24. > :01:28.review, which is welcome. It is odd that there has been a review called
:01:29. > :01:34.by the man that was a minister at the time. It was a Democrat press
:01:35. > :01:39.release and we all know about those. The Minister's presidential duties
:01:40. > :01:46.are evidently not very own risk. -- not very own address. Recently,
:01:47. > :01:55.pictures have most of the effect of black mambo, the zombie-like state
:01:56. > :01:59.this job can induce. -- this microphone can induce. Can the
:02:00. > :02:04.Minister ensures that everything is being done to handle the
:02:05. > :02:12.availability of this type of drug? I agree with the Honourable friend
:02:13. > :02:18.above the effect these stocks can have in and out of prison, one of
:02:19. > :02:24.our key priorities is to detect these substances and eliminate their
:02:25. > :02:28.years in prison. In this Government, brutal about the legal aid cut by
:02:29. > :02:32.40%. Thousands upon thousands of people have been denied an
:02:33. > :02:36.employment tribunals because they cannot afford it. Is this Government
:02:37. > :02:44.Friday on the side of the rich, full and bad bosses? It is a union
:02:45. > :02:52.campaign to talk about employment tribunal fees. Let's be clear, the
:02:53. > :02:56.number of people taking up cases about the workplace has increased.
:02:57. > :03:03.It hasn't gone down. It's up to 90,000. They are helped by a free
:03:04. > :03:07.service. The Labour Party is to support them. This cases is to go
:03:08. > :03:16.with -- less cases go to the tribunal because of ACAS. Exclusion
:03:17. > :03:20.is an important tool for... An exclusion zone just covering the
:03:21. > :03:28.county isn't particularly helpful. But the Government undertake to look
:03:29. > :03:35.at this? The honourable member does great work and consider. He raises a
:03:36. > :03:41.great point. And sure this is something we will look at in great
:03:42. > :03:46.detail. Websites such as craigslist are being used by corrupt
:03:47. > :03:51.individuals to advertised free accommodation in return for sex. For
:03:52. > :03:58.the secretary of State agree that this is happening at a moment within
:03:59. > :04:06.the law and the review has to take place to enjoy that the civil face
:04:07. > :04:16.the full power of the law? I agree that this issue is concerning and
:04:17. > :04:19.will take it up. How many foreign nationals are run prisons and what
:04:20. > :04:25.steps are being taken to ensure that they go back to their own countries?
:04:26. > :04:30.We are taking steps to ensure that every former National
:04:31. > :04:38.interpretations -- in our prisons that should be deported are being
:04:39. > :04:48.deported. In 2016-17 many were deported. Wouldn't we be more
:04:49. > :04:55.reliable if we were reliably informed about justice from the Tory
:04:56. > :05:01.Minister whose friendly Prime Minister has called a snap election
:05:02. > :05:06.on June the 8th at about a fortnight before the Director of Public
:05:07. > :05:17.Prosecutions was due to adjudicate on 32 of MPs -- 30 Tory MPs that
:05:18. > :05:23.have been investigated for election fraud in the last election? The
:05:24. > :05:28.Prime Minister is absolutely right to call a general election. We need
:05:29. > :05:31.strong and stable leadership of this country. We need to ensure that the
:05:32. > :05:38.Prime Minister has a mandate to deliver for Brexit and beyond. The
:05:39. > :05:45.all-party group on preventing modern slavery shared in an excellent
:05:46. > :05:51.manner by the departing lady for Slough, her from the prevalence of a
:05:52. > :05:55.young man who had been imprisoned for 15 years as a slave. The
:05:56. > :06:01.culprits were only sent to prison for 2.5 years. With the Justice
:06:02. > :06:06.Secretary agree to speak to the sentencing council about the
:06:07. > :06:13.severity of sentences for those who imprisoned are close. Can I agree
:06:14. > :06:18.with my honourable friend in paying tribute for the honourable Lady for
:06:19. > :06:20.the work she did on modern slavery and indeed our prime Minster has
:06:21. > :06:29.made huge slide in putting away people for these crimes? We are
:06:30. > :06:38.doing more on this. I'm working more on this. I have been in
:06:39. > :06:44.correspondence and repeatedly asked over recent months if crucial and
:06:45. > :06:48.important evidence can be released that is vital for the case of one of
:06:49. > :06:54.my constituents. However, they have been less than helpful. The evidence
:06:55. > :06:59.for the -- the deadline for the evidence to be deleted is
:07:00. > :07:10.approaching. The prospect of justice for my constituents is getting
:07:11. > :07:13.slimmer. The dedicated governor and staff at HMP bristled a brilliant
:07:14. > :07:21.job at a struggling right now with an adequate staffing ratio, Brister
:07:22. > :07:24.uses of drugs. When will this Government give the prison in my
:07:25. > :07:31.constituency rituals that needs to do the job? I can tell the
:07:32. > :07:37.honourable lady that I have visited HMP Bristol and I found some
:07:38. > :07:42.dastardly Delhi to get it -- sympathetically dedicated prison
:07:43. > :07:47.officers. That is why we invest lots of money to recruit 2500 prison
:07:48. > :07:52.officers across the country and are on track with even greater. In order
:07:53. > :07:56.to make a claim under the rape was a woman has to bite down on a forum
:07:57. > :08:04.and signed as they they believe the nonconsensual exception applies to
:08:05. > :08:10.my tries. Can the Government explain how this is in the best interests of
:08:11. > :08:13.the child? The honourable lady doesn't seem to understand that this
:08:14. > :08:20.is about supporting victims of rape and domestic abuse. This approach is
:08:21. > :08:25.crucial to protect women that have faced difficult circumstances. As
:08:26. > :08:30.part of these reforms, we've made sure that the victims are able to
:08:31. > :08:35.use protective professionals to endorse the claim by the receive
:08:36. > :08:45.support. -- while they receive support. Please have two short one
:08:46. > :08:54.sentence questions. Will the Justice Secretary have written to look into
:08:55. > :08:58.the case of Charlie God, a young boy with a fluid depletion condition
:08:59. > :09:07.that is unable to leave Great Ormond Street Hospital. Treatment in the US
:09:08. > :09:14.might just save his life. They have raised ?1.5 million to get Charlie
:09:15. > :09:19.to the States. It's a complex legal case but if the Justice Secretary
:09:20. > :09:24.has any power standard green -- promised to intervene, I played
:09:25. > :09:30.without injury. There were a number of semicolons but it is a very
:09:31. > :09:36.important matter, I accept. This case has been in the media. As I
:09:37. > :09:42.understand, the clinicians have made a judgment that should be respected.
:09:43. > :09:49.Knowing the huge cross-party support for better justice for victims of
:09:50. > :09:53.criminal driving, will the ministers met data panenka legislation
:09:54. > :09:59.promised before the end of this year if the Government is related? I
:10:00. > :10:02.understand the honourable gentleman has been campaigning on this issue
:10:03. > :10:08.for some time. He cannot make bitterness because we are in purdah.
:10:09. > :10:19.-- we cannot make commitments because BR in purdah. Thank you, Mr
:10:20. > :10:24.Speaker. I seek your advice on parliamentary protocol in a member
:10:25. > :10:34.of that into another member's constituents as part of a campaign.
:10:35. > :10:40.Conservative brand of paper out of the camera cut it Castle Alexis.
:10:41. > :10:44.Asking them to vote for the Conservative candidates.