:00:00. > :00:07.Tuesday the 12th of September. Tuesday the 12th of September.
:00:08. > :00:18.Order! Questions of equal -- to the Minister of State for justice. The
:00:19. > :00:23.legal aid agency regularly reviews the legal aid markets to review the
:00:24. > :00:32.demand and takes action where a regional shortfall develops. I also
:00:33. > :00:36.looked to -- look more widely at access to legal aid as part of a
:00:37. > :00:41.package of limitation review on which I have to say more shortly.
:00:42. > :00:46.The Children's Society 's latest report found that in Yorkshire we
:00:47. > :00:53.have seen a 56% drop in the availability of free in every --
:00:54. > :01:00.immigration advice between 2010 and 2016. Given the huge vulnerabilities
:01:01. > :01:03.of young children, will the Secretary of State commit to
:01:04. > :01:11.consider these children in the upcoming review of the legal aid
:01:12. > :01:14.punishment of offenders act. There will certainly be the opportunity
:01:15. > :01:20.for representation to be made and consideration to be given for that
:01:21. > :01:24.sort of change. While the most recent legislation did indeed
:01:25. > :01:28.exclude non-asylum immigration matters, much family law, including
:01:29. > :01:34.cases involving vulnerable children who might be taken into local
:01:35. > :01:39.authority care, asked two cases where legal aid is available.
:01:40. > :01:44.Whilst it is undoubtedly true that there are fewer people having access
:01:45. > :01:49.to legal aid now than before the reforms, it is also true that lots
:01:50. > :01:53.of people are entitled to legal aid are not getting it. What can the
:01:54. > :02:02.Justice Secretary do to make sure that these people get the access to
:02:03. > :02:07.justice that they require? If therapy Buddle believe that they are
:02:08. > :02:11.entitled to legal aid -- if there are people who believe they are
:02:12. > :02:18.entitled to legal aid, I urge them to apply to the relevant authorities
:02:19. > :02:23.and one of the legal aid providers -- advice providers. Even after the
:02:24. > :02:27.exclusion of certain categories, legal aid expenditure last year
:02:28. > :02:33.still amounted to ?1.6 billion, nearly a quarter of my department's
:02:34. > :02:38.entire expenditure. Does the Minister believe that the
:02:39. > :02:41.greater number of people having to represent themselves in court is
:02:42. > :02:45.helping justice to be done in this country?
:02:46. > :02:51.I think that what is important is both that we do manage legal aid in
:02:52. > :02:55.a way that directs what are finite taxpayers resources to those cases
:02:56. > :03:00.where there is greatest need, but we also look actively for ways to
:03:01. > :03:04.simplify access to justice, including through the use of digital
:03:05. > :03:11.technologies so that people do not feel they need always to have that
:03:12. > :03:18.kind of professional representation. Barely one third of immigration
:03:19. > :03:22.detainees at me that -- know that they are entitled to 30 minutes of
:03:23. > :03:28.representation. Given the horror show we saw on last my's panorama,
:03:29. > :03:32.will the Minister assure that all D10 you get access to the legal aid
:03:33. > :03:36.they require? As the honourable gentleman knows,
:03:37. > :03:41.the centre that was the subject of last my's programme is accountable
:03:42. > :03:48.to the Home Office. I know that Mike honourable friend was concerned that
:03:49. > :03:53.action has been taken. On the broader point, legal aid is
:03:54. > :03:58.available for asylum cases, stale. And I would certainly hope that the
:03:59. > :04:01.appropriate measures are taken in every relevant establishment for
:04:02. > :04:07.those rights to be brought to the attention of anybody who is detained
:04:08. > :04:11.who might qualify. Could I press the secretary of state
:04:12. > :04:16.on a date for publication of the legal aid review and can I ask him
:04:17. > :04:24.how many people that have been denied legal aid, the government has
:04:25. > :04:30.heard from? I would hope to be able to give Parliament details in the
:04:31. > :04:33.relatively near future. I am conscious that this is work that has
:04:34. > :04:41.been able to make an announcement been able to make an announcement
:04:42. > :04:44.on. Matters like the general election have intervened. I want to
:04:45. > :04:58.press ahead with this as soon as the will. Following the Supreme Court
:04:59. > :05:01.judgment at the end of July on employment tribunal fees, we
:05:02. > :05:05.immediately stop charging them. We are putting in place arrangements to
:05:06. > :05:08.refund those who have paid in the past and we will be announcing the
:05:09. > :05:15.practical details arrangement shortly.
:05:16. > :05:21.I have been contacted by constituents who have a burden
:05:22. > :05:26.placed upon them and going through and employment tribunals case which
:05:27. > :05:30.they won. Will the Minister ensure that those entitled to claim are
:05:31. > :05:35.made aware of the process and reunited with their money in a
:05:36. > :05:39.timely fashion? I thank the honourable member for
:05:40. > :05:44.that question. It can be an ordeal to go to the employment tribunal or
:05:45. > :05:49.any tribunal. Which is why I pay tribute to the work of ACAS. We will
:05:50. > :05:53.set out the practical arrangements for the reimbursement of fees and
:05:54. > :06:03.make sure that all the points for through before we do that. It is no
:06:04. > :06:07.pleasure to say that a number of the criticisms of the development of
:06:08. > :06:12.this policy were foreshadowed in the justice committee's report in the
:06:13. > :06:18.last session. As well as very wacky and promptly acting to reimburse
:06:19. > :06:24.fees, worldly -- as very brightly and promptly acting to reimburse
:06:25. > :06:33.fees, will the Minister make sure that they're rather better means of
:06:34. > :06:39.increment in this policy will so we do not end up in this position
:06:40. > :06:43.again? We will certainly be considering further his committee's
:06:44. > :06:51.report. The former chair of the Select Committee... In due course.
:06:52. > :06:59.We will look at that. The cost of the employment tribunals was ?16
:07:00. > :07:03.million, only ?8 million from fees, the rest from taxpayers. So the
:07:04. > :07:08.balance of requiring some contribution from those who use the
:07:09. > :07:11.justice system and the taxpayers is inherently different. We recognise
:07:12. > :07:14.we got the balance wrong and blending those fees and we are
:07:15. > :07:21.looking at the practical arrangements to reimburse money.
:07:22. > :07:26.In the light of the court ruling and the report of the Select Committee,
:07:27. > :07:31.was the decision to introduce fees in the first place a mistake? We
:07:32. > :07:39.certainly access the Supreme Court ruling. We think we got the balance
:07:40. > :07:47.wrong. -- we certainly access to. We will learn the lessons from the
:07:48. > :07:54.future. Another Select Committee also called for changes because they
:07:55. > :07:58.affect pregnant women and new mums who have experience in Midland
:07:59. > :08:01.increases into commendation in the last ten years. Within minutes to
:08:02. > :08:07.look at the other part of the recommendation which is introduce
:08:08. > :08:11.the -- increase the time limit for pregnant mothers and new mums to
:08:12. > :08:19.bring cases to court? Will certainly look into all aspects of all the
:08:20. > :08:24.various Select Committee reports. May I start by welcoming the
:08:25. > :08:27.Minister to this place. The Supreme Court ruled that the secondary
:08:28. > :08:34.legislation which brought in the employment tribunal fees interfered
:08:35. > :08:40.with access to justice and employment rights. Does the Minister
:08:41. > :08:42.accessed that the Supreme Court's judgment demonstrates that
:08:43. > :08:48.fundamental rights like the quality and access to justice should not be
:08:49. > :08:54.changed or underlined by secondary legislation which receives little or
:08:55. > :09:00.no Parliamentary scrutiny? The honourable lady makes a point in a
:09:01. > :09:03.powerful way. The Supreme Court also recognised that fees can have a role
:09:04. > :09:08.to play and they helped secure justice by making the necessary
:09:09. > :09:12.resources are available. We recognise we got the balance wrong
:09:13. > :09:16.which is why we have taken immediate action to end the fees and we will
:09:17. > :09:22.be coming up with the practical arrangements to reimburse. In 2015,
:09:23. > :09:27.the Scottish Government said that as soon as the power to do so is
:09:28. > :09:33.devolved, they would abolish tribunal fees. Does he accept that
:09:34. > :09:39.the Scottish Government choosing to do it voluntarily as opposed to the
:09:40. > :09:43.UK Government doing it after being forced, show that the case for
:09:44. > :09:52.devolving employment rights is strong? Obviously, we fully in
:09:53. > :10:00.favour of the principle of devolution. A whole range of justice
:10:01. > :10:02.matters been devolved. In the Supreme Court, Baroness Hale was
:10:03. > :10:08.very concerned about meritorious claims being put off by the fees but
:10:09. > :10:12.you also acknowledge that there are meritorious claims and those do the
:10:13. > :10:17.damage to relations in the workplace. Woody Minister consider
:10:18. > :10:22.looking at any fairer ways of sifting out on meritorious claims
:10:23. > :10:28.such as the suggestion of having a sift before the application was made
:10:29. > :10:33.into a full case? My honourable friend makes a strong point. It is
:10:34. > :10:38.something we can look at. It fully, I think it is fair to say that we
:10:39. > :10:42.got the balance wrong on the specific issue of fees. One of the
:10:43. > :10:50.strong elements that we are looking to reinforce is the role of ACAS.
:10:51. > :10:54.And we have seen a conciliation and the cases referred to it has had a
:10:55. > :10:57.strong impact in reducing cases that need to go to the employment
:10:58. > :11:06.tribunal. I wrote to the Secretary of State in
:11:07. > :11:13.July calling on him to issue a full and unequivocal apology to working
:11:14. > :11:20.people for unlawfully blocking their access to justice through employment
:11:21. > :11:24.tribunal fees. I received this wholly inadequate response last
:11:25. > :11:27.week. Will the Minister apologised today for the suffering this policy
:11:28. > :11:33.has caused to hundreds of thousands of working people? We admitted and
:11:34. > :11:40.we concede we got the balance wrong. I'm very sorry, I'm happy to say.
:11:41. > :11:47.For any frustration or any delete 's impact this has on anyone. That's
:11:48. > :11:50.why we acting quickly to end the charges and ensure there are
:11:51. > :11:59.practical arrangements for the reimbursement for anyone affected by
:12:00. > :12:09.those fees. The government is investing 1.9 billion to transform
:12:10. > :12:12.ability to respond to cybercrime. I'm committed to making sure victims
:12:13. > :12:16.get the support they need to cope with and as far as possible recover
:12:17. > :12:21.from the effects of crime. The national cyber Security Centre is
:12:22. > :12:29.part of GCHQ which the Foreign Commonwealth Office has ministerial
:12:30. > :12:32.responsibility for. Given that its government policy that victim
:12:33. > :12:36.support is to be commissioned locally by each individual PCC, is
:12:37. > :12:42.the Minister content there is sufficient resource for victim
:12:43. > :12:48.support, and given the year-on-year increase in cybercrime, with the
:12:49. > :12:54.Minister not agree that considering national and international nature of
:12:55. > :12:57.cybercriminals, that a single national approach to victim support
:12:58. > :13:01.would act as a better deterrent and a better support structure for
:13:02. > :13:10.victims rather than allowing criminals to cherry pick among the
:13:11. > :13:14.43 police forces? As I made clear in my original response, cyber security
:13:15. > :13:17.doesn't sit with this department. The cyber security policy sits with
:13:18. > :13:22.the Cabinet Office. With reference to victim support funding, it's gone
:13:23. > :13:31.up 51,000,020 10-11. I'm pleased to announce it goes up to 96,000,020
:13:32. > :13:43.17-18. Most of it is spent through PCCs. As crime changes and the focus
:13:44. > :13:47.on cybercrime grows, what assurances can the Minister give us that the
:13:48. > :13:52.police budget will match this changed focus and we will not see a
:13:53. > :13:57.loss of bobbies on the beat as resources are inevitably shifted?
:13:58. > :14:00.Unfortunately I am not a Minister of the Home Office so I can't respond
:14:01. > :14:07.in detail to that question. I would encourage the honourable member to
:14:08. > :14:11.write to the relevant Minister. Can I ask the Minister, when will we see
:14:12. > :14:13.the draft of the evictee this bill which was committed to by the
:14:14. > :14:19.government and Her Majesty'sopposition? I thank my
:14:20. > :14:24.right honourable friend for the question. We are committed to the
:14:25. > :14:28.victims Bill in legislation in the last manifesto. We are up against it
:14:29. > :14:32.in terms of parliamentary time, as my honourable friend I'm sure
:14:33. > :14:35.understands. But work continues with regards to the legislation required,
:14:36. > :14:42.most likely to underpin the victims code. Does the Minister recognise
:14:43. > :14:46.how vital international cooperation is in tackling cybercrime? I hope he
:14:47. > :14:51.is aware of the excellent work done by Europol, for example, the UK
:14:52. > :14:59.sending more than 400,000 malware files to the Europol service since
:15:00. > :15:02.it was founded two years ago. Has the government decided whether the
:15:03. > :15:07.UK will stay part of that EU mechanism to fight cybercrime? I
:15:08. > :15:11.hate to repeat myself, but the two policy areas the right honourable
:15:12. > :15:14.gentleman refers to do not sit with the Justice Department. Cyber
:15:15. > :15:23.security sits with the Cabinet Office and membership of Europol
:15:24. > :15:29.sits with the Home Office. Child sexual abuse is abhorrent. The
:15:30. > :15:38.taxpayer funded criminal injuries scheme provides an important avenue
:15:39. > :15:41.of redress for victims. The criminal injuries compensation authority
:15:42. > :15:44.administers the scheme and decides all claims individually,
:15:45. > :15:51.independently of ministers and Parliament. I thank the Minister for
:15:52. > :15:56.that. Will he commits to updating the guidance in three specific
:15:57. > :16:03.areas? First, children cannot be complicit in their own abuse.
:16:04. > :16:06.Second, children, as part of the grooming process, children are
:16:07. > :16:15.coerced into carrying out criminal activities. And third, looking at
:16:16. > :16:22.giving compensation to family members of victims. I'm happy to
:16:23. > :16:25.look further at all of those three issues. I can say that following
:16:26. > :16:34.some of the concerns expressed earlier this year, it's been decided
:16:35. > :16:38.to mount an urgent re-examination of their own internal guidelines, in
:16:39. > :16:41.particular to make sure there is no risk that a child could be
:16:42. > :16:48.disqualified from compensation because they had been groomed.
:16:49. > :16:52.Groomed into giving consent when that consent had in effect been
:16:53. > :16:58.forced from them by a subtle process of grooming. The Department is also
:16:59. > :17:02.concerned about concerns raised about how the rules of the scheme or
:17:03. > :17:06.generally work in cases of child sexual abuse. We are talking to
:17:07. > :17:10.organisations like Barnardos and victim support in detail about those
:17:11. > :17:15.concerns and the reforms they propose in order to deal with them.
:17:16. > :17:20.If it's a criminal offence to have sex with a child, how is such an
:17:21. > :17:24.offence anything but a crime of violence? To say child victims
:17:25. > :17:29.cannot receive compensation for their abuse is simply victim
:17:30. > :17:34.blaming. The definition of a crime of violence was last reviewed five
:17:35. > :17:36.years ago. When will this be reassessed to Insua sexually abuse
:17:37. > :17:47.children are not denied compensation? -- to ensure. We are
:17:48. > :17:54.discussing with various charities to discuss the concerns they bring.
:17:55. > :17:58.There is a decision between consent in law and consent in fact. This is
:17:59. > :18:04.something that has been written into the law since it was first
:18:05. > :18:06.introduced, I believe, by the previous Labour government that
:18:07. > :18:13.administered it in their time in office. Its purpose was to ensure we
:18:14. > :18:18.did not end up in a situation where, for example, two 15-year-olds are
:18:19. > :18:23.engaging in sexual intercourse automatically lead to a claim for
:18:24. > :18:28.compensation. It would be left to the authority to look at the facts
:18:29. > :18:34.of the case. I am very willing to look at the guidance that it applies
:18:35. > :18:39.to individual cases. But I don't think we should lose sight that
:18:40. > :18:46.there was a reasonable motive behind the law as it was originally
:18:47. > :18:49.drafted. Nobody denies the absolute right and need for victims to claim
:18:50. > :18:56.compensation, but with the Secretary of State not agree with me, there
:18:57. > :18:59.may be occasions, for example in the grave allegations made against the
:19:00. > :19:07.late Edward Heath, that the informant is incentivised some way
:19:08. > :19:14.by bringing forward the accusation. Shouldn't the compensation be made
:19:15. > :19:21.after the outcome of the case is known. The way the scheme operates,
:19:22. > :19:27.it provides compensation for people who are victims of crime. All of us
:19:28. > :19:31.as constituency members can think of cases where somebody has been
:19:32. > :19:35.perhaps the victim of an assault but it has be impossible to successfully
:19:36. > :19:43.prosecute the person or people responsible. And therefore that
:19:44. > :19:48.direct linked to a conviction is not there in the scheme. Where there is
:19:49. > :19:52.evidence compensation has been sought fraudulently, then the
:19:53. > :19:58.authority ought to seek the necessary legal action in order to
:19:59. > :20:06.recover those funds. Question number five, Mr Speaker. With permission,
:20:07. > :20:10.Mr Speaker, I will group questioned five question 16. Education and
:20:11. > :20:15.employment opportunities are crucial to help offenders turn around their
:20:16. > :20:18.lives. In line with our reforms, every prisoner will have a personal
:20:19. > :20:26.learning plan linked to their sentence plan to make this reform.
:20:27. > :20:30.We are giving governors control over education resources to fit prisoners
:20:31. > :20:35.needs. Gardening and horticultural schemes to grow edible crops are
:20:36. > :20:40.becoming increasingly incorporated into prison programmes and those in
:20:41. > :20:43.remand up and down the country, giving offenders transferable
:20:44. > :20:50.skills, offering future opportunities and encouraging self
:20:51. > :20:54.confidence and quite often transferring unattractive yards into
:20:55. > :20:57.green spaces. Can the Minister give an indication as to whether a formal
:20:58. > :20:59.assessment has been made to any of these programmes with a view to
:21:00. > :21:06.rolling out the best of the models even more widely? My honourable
:21:07. > :21:10.friend is right. I remember visiting a prison in Daventry and seeing the
:21:11. > :21:15.pride with which the prisoners were tending to their gardens. They spent
:21:16. > :21:20.hours doing them up. She may be aware of the Royal Horticultural
:21:21. > :21:24.Society Trophy awards, judged by an independent panel looking at the
:21:25. > :21:27.best gardening schemes across the prison estate. If he doesn't mind I
:21:28. > :21:33.would be delighted but her name forward as a judge in future.
:21:34. > :21:37.Category D prisons often have the best examples of rehabilitation is
:21:38. > :21:45.as they prepare to let their prisoners back into the community.
:21:46. > :21:48.In my constituency a person has worked for the Council not only to
:21:49. > :21:55.do rehabilitative work, preparing prisoners for work, but also saving
:21:56. > :22:00.the taxpayer ?300,000. I wonder if the Minister agree with me that
:22:01. > :22:03.other prisons in the sector can use from category D's rehabilitative
:22:04. > :22:10.practice and whether he will come and see how well it can work. My
:22:11. > :22:12.honourable friend has lighted on an important principle, worked in
:22:13. > :22:16.prison is vital to preparing prisoners for life after release.
:22:17. > :22:21.That is an excellent example which is why I'm supporting the new
:22:22. > :22:24.futures network to develop relationships between employers,
:22:25. > :22:28.governors and the world of work. I would be delighted to visit the
:22:29. > :22:32.prison in due course. I have never heard of such complacency from the
:22:33. > :22:38.government, the prisons service is a shambles. And at the heart of this
:22:39. > :22:42.shambles is the lack of education, the lack of literacy, lack of
:22:43. > :22:46.numerous sea, the lack of apprenticeships that should be, like
:22:47. > :22:57.our Scandinavian brethren, be in every prison. When will you wake up?
:22:58. > :23:00.My honourable friend has come back from his summer holiday with his
:23:01. > :23:06.customary passion. I do agree with him that if prisons are going to
:23:07. > :23:10.work properly we need to help give people the opportunity to turn
:23:11. > :23:13.around their lives. Prison reform is important to this government. That's
:23:14. > :23:17.why we are giving governors more control of their budgets. That's why
:23:18. > :23:22.we are giving governors more freedom to actually implement the plans that
:23:23. > :23:26.are necessary for offenders to turn their lives around. I share his
:23:27. > :23:32.concern, I share his passion, and it's a priority for this government.
:23:33. > :23:36.How will the personal learning plans, of which the Minister has
:23:37. > :23:41.just spoken, operate when a prisoner is transferred from one prison to
:23:42. > :23:45.another? What guarantees can he give that the education path the prisoner
:23:46. > :23:48.has commenced upon can be continued in his new setting, or her new
:23:49. > :23:54.setting, and there can be consistency offered right across the
:23:55. > :23:58.prison estate? The honourable member points out a serious problem that
:23:59. > :24:02.currently exists in the estate. Prisoners are transferred and can't
:24:03. > :24:07.continue courses they had started. Some were on GCSE programmes and
:24:08. > :24:10.couldn't finish them. We are looking at courses and a technology system
:24:11. > :24:14.that allows them carry on whatever they are doing when they are
:24:15. > :24:17.transferred from one prison to another so there is progress and
:24:18. > :24:23.progression on all these courses. I completely agree with her, it's
:24:24. > :24:26.something we are looking at. If Britain is to achieve anything, it
:24:27. > :24:31.must change lies. The best chance to do that is to offer people both
:24:32. > :24:36.education and assisted place to work on release. -- if prison is to
:24:37. > :24:39.achieve anything. Given three fifths of prisoners leave prison without
:24:40. > :24:45.any identified qualification or implement opportunities, can my
:24:46. > :24:49.honourable friend assure these programmes are at the centre of the
:24:50. > :24:53.prison system and how they are being adjusted for greater success? My
:24:54. > :24:57.honourable friend is right. About 50% of prisoners have the reading
:24:58. > :25:03.age of an 11-year-old and numerous sea skills of an 11-year-old. If we
:25:04. > :25:07.are to give them a chance in life we have to sort out education and also
:25:08. > :25:14.give employment skills that actually are valued in the workplace. That's
:25:15. > :25:17.why prison reform, which was a heart of the White Paper the government
:25:18. > :25:25.published last November is carrying on apace. The Chief inspectors of
:25:26. > :25:32.prisons and probation recently issued a devastating report into the
:25:33. > :25:36.government's flagship community rehabilitation companies which
:25:37. > :25:40.stated, "And none of the prisoners had been helped into employment by
:25:41. > :25:46.through the gate services". Will the Minister commit to an urgent review
:25:47. > :25:49.that all of CRCs, including education and deployment services,
:25:50. > :25:53.and will he guarantee no extra money will be passed on to these private
:25:54. > :26:00.companies until it can be proven that they are fit for purpose?
:26:01. > :26:09.The probation reforms that the previous comment rolled out help
:26:10. > :26:14.fortify thousand offenders who have not been supervised because they
:26:15. > :26:19.were being in prison for 12 months, they are now been supervised. There
:26:20. > :26:22.are challenges with a first-generation outsourcing
:26:23. > :26:27.programme. We have got an ongoing probation review, the first half is
:26:28. > :26:31.completed. There were extra funds invested in the CRCs. But we are
:26:32. > :26:36.still within the funding envelope that was decided at the start of
:26:37. > :26:41.that programme. We are carrying on the review to make sure that through
:26:42. > :26:50.the gate and other services are operating as originally envisaged.
:26:51. > :26:54.With permission, I would like to answer this question together with
:26:55. > :26:59.question 13. We have established a new extreme is an unit between HM
:27:00. > :27:06.PPS and the Home Office to strengthen our our approach to the
:27:07. > :27:11.threat of extremism in prisons. Front line staff in prison and the
:27:12. > :27:15.probation service are being given the training skills and authority
:27:16. > :27:20.needed to challenge extremist views and take action against them. The
:27:21. > :27:24.first separation centre at HMP Frankland was opened in 2017 and the
:27:25. > :27:31.first prisoners are now held there. The facilities will hold the most
:27:32. > :27:40.extreme prisoners and protect the more vulnerable from the poisonous
:27:41. > :27:44.ideology. I am grateful for that answer. Extremists target those
:27:45. > :27:48.prisoners who they think will be most susceptible. But what impact
:27:49. > :27:53.does he anticipate the removal of such individuals will have on the
:27:54. > :27:56.prison population as a whole? The decision to proceed with the
:27:57. > :28:05.separation centres was only taken after very careful thought and we
:28:06. > :28:09.judged that the benefits to the general prison population and
:28:10. > :28:15.particularly vulnerable and impressionable prisoners, would be
:28:16. > :28:18.beneficial if we could take out of association with them those who pose
:28:19. > :28:24.the greatest risk. Those who are going to be in separation centres
:28:25. > :28:28.will be assessed by experts on a regular basis and they will only be
:28:29. > :28:32.returned to the mainstream population in prison if it is agreed
:28:33. > :28:38.that the effect that they will have is reduced.
:28:39. > :28:46.Many young men start their journey towards radicalisation by seeking
:28:47. > :28:53.out in prison the strong male role model that they lack in their lives
:28:54. > :28:59.outside. What are the government doing to ensure there are better
:29:00. > :29:02.role models in prison to guide them? My honourable friend makes a
:29:03. > :29:09.valuable point which has resonance not just to do with penal policy but
:29:10. > :29:12.also social policy. There are many charities and voluntary
:29:13. > :29:19.organisations which, by example, by bringing sport into prisons are
:29:20. > :29:24.helping to provide the adult male role models that he wants to see
:29:25. > :29:29.more. In the context of extremism, it is also important to pay tribute
:29:30. > :29:35.to the work of the Imam in the prison chaplaincy service who argue
:29:36. > :29:42.from a basis of scholarship and expertise to rebut some of these
:29:43. > :29:46.arguments. Figures from his own department show that there are 1000
:29:47. > :29:52.prisoners who are radicalise all vulnerable to it. But when they
:29:53. > :29:59.leave prison, such as the Westminster Terrace, they need to
:30:00. > :30:04.the effectively monitored. -- the Westminster terrorist. Is there a
:30:05. > :30:06.robust relationship between the police and prison authorities so
:30:07. > :30:12.that when these people come out of prison, we no one they are -- we
:30:13. > :30:18.know where they are and what they are doing? Our information is that
:30:19. > :30:23.only one of those involved in the recent attacks in Manchester and
:30:24. > :30:27.London have spent time in prison, dating back to 2003. There was no
:30:28. > :30:32.evidence to suggest that that man had been radicalised in prison.
:30:33. > :30:35.Clearly, we want to see the strongest possible joint work
:30:36. > :30:40.between the police and the prison service and the probation service.
:30:41. > :30:43.What we have at the moment is strong but there are always lessons that
:30:44. > :30:48.can be learned and always improvements that can be sought and
:30:49. > :30:53.we are committed not to be complacent and to continue with
:30:54. > :30:57.vigilance and determination. In his initial answer, the Secretary
:30:58. > :31:03.of State spoke of a new initiative. Can you tell us if that comes with
:31:04. > :31:08.new money and if that is adequate? It is part of the duty of the prison
:31:09. > :31:14.service to look after appropriately all those whom the court has sent
:31:15. > :31:18.into custody. So we have found the money for the separation centres
:31:19. > :31:23.from within existing Ministry of Justice budgets. And that, I
:31:24. > :31:28.believe, is a sensible prioritisation of expenditure which
:31:29. > :31:32.will bring about benefits to the management of the prison population
:31:33. > :31:42.more generally by separating of those who pose a particular risk
:31:43. > :31:46.from extremist ideology. We have a robust sentencing framework for all
:31:47. > :31:52.crimes involving child sexual exploitation. The changes made to
:31:53. > :31:56.the criminal and Courts act enhance the changes and make sure that
:31:57. > :32:01.serious offenders are only released when it is safe to do so. I thank
:32:02. > :32:07.the Minister for his reply. On the 1st of November this year, one
:32:08. > :32:16.offender will be released from prison after receiving a sentence of
:32:17. > :32:20.22 years. He will be released after five years. Legislation was passed
:32:21. > :32:23.to make sure that most serious offenders could not be released
:32:24. > :32:28.until they had served two thirds of their sentence and has satisfied the
:32:29. > :32:32.parole board that they were not a risk. What can be done to ensure
:32:33. > :32:38.that this legislation applies in this case? I am aware of this case
:32:39. > :32:42.and the heinous crimes committed and the appalling effect on the victims.
:32:43. > :32:49.The oval ball in the sentencing framework between 22 and 2015 means
:32:50. > :32:56.that that type of sentence would not be passed now. I cannot intervene in
:32:57. > :33:02.individual cases and changes to legislation to strengthen sentences
:33:03. > :33:10.cannot be passed retrospectively. Bearing in mind that 70% of all
:33:11. > :33:16.victims of sexual exportation were under 11, could the minister
:33:17. > :33:19.outlined a perk -- which you deal with the aftermath of its flotation
:33:20. > :33:23.in children possible path to adults would? I would be hammered to write
:33:24. > :33:32.to the honourable member about the impact. One of the barriers to
:33:33. > :33:35.prosecution in child sexual exportation cases is that too often
:33:36. > :33:40.the victims are wrongly thought to be complicit in their own
:33:41. > :33:44.exploitation. And can I say to him that that is the importance of the
:33:45. > :33:48.issues that the member for rather just raise. There should be
:33:49. > :33:53.absolutely no suggestion in any government guidelines that children
:33:54. > :33:59.can be complicit in their own exploitation and that is why that
:34:00. > :34:09.guidance from the prosecuting these silly change now. A powerful point.
:34:10. > :34:15.Nobody wants to blame the day -- laid the blame at any victim,
:34:16. > :34:21.especially not children. The criminal injuries scheme will be
:34:22. > :34:25.looked at but that operates in a different context of the criminal
:34:26. > :34:34.justice system. It can also apply when there has not been a criminal
:34:35. > :34:38.conviction. Drones are raised serious threat to
:34:39. > :34:42.order and stability in our prisons for the contraband that they are
:34:43. > :34:47.used to smuggle. Our intelligence work tells us that much of this
:34:48. > :34:51.activity is backed up by organised crime is gang which is why we have
:34:52. > :34:57.invested in our intelligence teams and also a specialist unit between
:34:58. > :35:02.the prison service and the police service to track down and plus cute
:35:03. > :35:07.these offenders. In the last year, there have been 40 arrests, 11
:35:08. > :35:13.convictions involving drone activity resulting in those individual
:35:14. > :35:19.serving a total of 40 years in jail. With offenders likely to be
:35:20. > :35:23.reconvicted if they are a known drug user, I wonder if my honourable
:35:24. > :35:28.friend could tell the House how in relation to drugs, what work is
:35:29. > :35:36.being done to take steps to tackle the supply of drugs into our prisons
:35:37. > :35:40.by drones. -- by the use of drones. Drones are one way in which drugs
:35:41. > :35:48.are smuggled into our prisons. We are looking at all the possible ways
:35:49. > :35:53.that drugs could be smuggled in. In the case of new psychoactive
:35:54. > :35:58.substances, paper can be impregnated with these drugs and it can be very
:35:59. > :36:04.difficult to detect. But the way to do so is to get intelligence from
:36:05. > :36:08.each establishment and also across different parts of the prison
:36:09. > :36:13.service so that we can respond appropriately and we are investing
:36:14. > :36:21.heavily in order to do so and combat the drug frog in prisons.
:36:22. > :36:24.The escape in February of a convicted murderer serving a 30 year
:36:25. > :36:30.sentence was linked to the dropping of a mobile phone into prison in
:36:31. > :36:34.Liverpool by a drones so he conveys with villains outside to effect his
:36:35. > :36:39.escape. So what steps is the minister taking to enhance and its
:36:40. > :36:42.bar and the schemes already put in place to disrupt drones over prisons
:36:43. > :36:48.and in passing, has he found the prisoner yet? My right honourable
:36:49. > :36:54.friend who is a former prisons Minister is well aware that the job
:36:55. > :37:00.of tracking down and arresting prisoners is a matter for the police
:37:01. > :37:06.service. However, in response to the other part of his question, we are
:37:07. > :37:12.looking at various types of technology to disrupt the flight of
:37:13. > :37:22.drones into our prisons to deliver contraband.
:37:23. > :37:26.Question number nine. In 2014, the government introduced requirement
:37:27. > :37:31.for potential claimants to consider conciliation. The proceedings at the
:37:32. > :37:36.employment tribunal. The number of cases going to conciliation
:37:37. > :37:43.quadrupled, rising to 92,020 1520 16.
:37:44. > :37:51.Sex and discrimination claims fell by 60% and others by 16%. In his
:37:52. > :37:57.recent judgment, the Supreme Court made it clear that this affected
:37:58. > :38:01.women disproportionately. What steps were taking to, say those people who
:38:02. > :38:05.were denied access to justice because they couldn't afford to
:38:06. > :38:16.pursue a claim in the first place? Of the honourable lady. She is right
:38:17. > :38:20.to refer to the end of the fees and proposals for reimbursement. In
:38:21. > :38:26.reference to potential claims which were not brought, anyone who wants
:38:27. > :38:31.to bring a claim can submit to the Yvonne intervene to bring a case
:38:32. > :38:37.outside the time limit. They will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
:38:38. > :38:43.-- they can submit them to the tribunal.
:38:44. > :38:48.I would like to group question ten in question 17. The government is
:38:49. > :38:52.aware that by leaving the European Union will bring an end to the
:38:53. > :38:58.jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom.
:38:59. > :39:08.Scotland has its own distinct legal system. Brexit will impact directly
:39:09. > :39:12.on this legal system and non-justice systems within Scotland and on a
:39:13. > :39:17.range of devolved issues. Can the Minister confirm that this
:39:18. > :39:22.distinction will be given serious consideration as the Brexit
:39:23. > :39:29.negotiations progress? Yes, as Mr Speaker, and indeed, when I spoke to
:39:30. > :39:34.the Mr Matheson last month, I emphasise to him that one of our key
:39:35. > :39:36.objectives in the official and ministerial level conversations
:39:37. > :39:43.between my department and his would be to ensure that the interests and
:39:44. > :39:46.the particular features of the Scottish justice system are properly
:39:47. > :39:52.reflected in the work that the United Kingdom is doing particularly
:39:53. > :40:01.on future civil judicial cooperation with the European Union.
:40:02. > :40:06.In January, the Prime Minister unambiguously asserted that Brexit
:40:07. > :40:10.will allow the UK to take back its laws and bring an end to the
:40:11. > :40:18.European Court of Justice jurisdiction in Europe. But last
:40:19. > :40:22.month, it appeared that the UK would be willing to work with the EU for
:40:23. > :40:26.judicial supervision. Could the Minister, given this change, how the
:40:27. > :40:32.Prime Minister got it so wrong in January? I think the honourable
:40:33. > :40:37.gentleman is really the government's position... The Prime Minister was
:40:38. > :40:43.very clear in her leg as to how speak, the position is that this
:40:44. > :40:47.country's exit from the European Union means that the European
:40:48. > :40:52.Union's treaties cease to apply to the UK and that therefore, the
:40:53. > :40:56.direct effect that decisions of the Court of Justice of the European
:40:57. > :41:02.Union have in United Kingdom will seize from that point. What is also
:41:03. > :41:07.the case is that, as spelt out in the government paper on disputes
:41:08. > :41:12.resolution, there are many international examples of
:41:13. > :41:15.arbitration mechanisms that involve different jurisdictions are coming
:41:16. > :41:20.together to agree on how to take account of their different court's
:41:21. > :41:25.the Ouse in coming to a settlement and when a dispute arises. So
:41:26. > :41:31.approaching these negotiations in a constructive fashion.
:41:32. > :41:40.Number 11. With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will group this question
:41:41. > :41:53.with question 18. Surrounding vulnerable witnesses in Crown Court,
:41:54. > :41:56.and three... We have recognise there are concerns about the operations of
:41:57. > :42:00.the victims code and are considering how compliance might be monitored
:42:01. > :42:05.and improved. Despite the progress is that have been made, attending
:42:06. > :42:09.court as a witness and particularly as a victim can still be very
:42:10. > :42:13.stressful. Can my honourable friend in large from me on what steps the
:42:14. > :42:15.government is taken to ensure victims and witnesses know what to
:42:16. > :42:19.expect when they attend court and that they are treated with respect
:42:20. > :42:26.in court and they know when they are required in court? We want to use
:42:27. > :42:30.technology to assist all witnesses and not just those who are
:42:31. > :42:34.vulnerable and intimidated. That's why we are exploring ways of making
:42:35. > :42:37.best use of technology such as video links to allow witnesses to avoid
:42:38. > :42:41.the stress and or inconvenience of having to be physically present in
:42:42. > :42:45.the courtroom. We also plan to develop an online tool that would
:42:46. > :42:52.allow witnesses to access information about a case such as a
:42:53. > :42:55.trial date quickly easily. Research on victim support found more than
:42:56. > :43:00.half of victims have unwanted contact with a defendant at court.
:43:01. > :43:04.How will the government's court reforms ensure separate entrances,
:43:05. > :43:11.waiting rooms and facilities are standard across all criminal courts?
:43:12. > :43:15.As I'm sure he is aware, the government is investing more than 1
:43:16. > :43:22.billion to modernise court systems to put the needs of victims first.
:43:23. > :43:25.The court and Tribunal service recently established model victim
:43:26. > :43:32.and witness waiting rooms at Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle,
:43:33. > :43:34.Liverpool and Aldershot, drawing on feedback from the victims
:43:35. > :43:44.commissioner, the witness service and court users. Minister will be
:43:45. > :43:48.aware that the support 's police and crime commissioners get for working
:43:49. > :43:54.with victims, decisions are often made very late in the financial
:43:55. > :43:59.year. Will he consider making three year-long provisions so the services
:44:00. > :44:07.provided could be provided more efficiently and also with greater
:44:08. > :44:10.stability? There are areas where the cc are doing very good work and
:44:11. > :44:18.there are areas where the workers perhaps not successful. -- where the
:44:19. > :44:23.ccs. I wanted to announce annual awards so we could follow the money
:44:24. > :44:28.and find out what works so we can provide better services for victims.
:44:29. > :44:32.Prior to the introduction of the prisoner and court bill in the last
:44:33. > :44:39.Parliament, no research had actually been carried out into the effects of
:44:40. > :44:46.virtual justice reforms either on witnesses, victims or defendants.
:44:47. > :44:54.Will he now guaranteed that research into these key areas will be done
:44:55. > :44:58.and published in advance of the court bill being brought back into
:44:59. > :45:01.the house? We are consulting with a variety of different agencies and
:45:02. > :45:05.the victims Commissioner on the work she alludes to. We are in the
:45:06. > :45:10.process of testing pre-recorded cross-examination at a number of
:45:11. > :45:15.centres across the country. I don't want the honourable member for
:45:16. > :45:25.Yeovil to feel that he was out of the water in a way. Mr Marcus Fish!
:45:26. > :45:31.Justice delayed can be justice denied. It can also be very
:45:32. > :45:36.distressing for victims and witnesses, such as constituents of
:45:37. > :45:40.mine, to suffer repeated delays in scheduling and notification of
:45:41. > :45:43.hearing dates and notification of verdicts, which in some cases have
:45:44. > :45:49.even been learned from the opposing parties. What can be done to improve
:45:50. > :45:55.court processes and time frames in their communication? I thank my
:45:56. > :45:58.honourable friend for his custom. All criminal justice agencies are
:45:59. > :46:02.committed to keeping victims and witnesses informed about their case.
:46:03. > :46:07.The outcomes of cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses are
:46:08. > :46:10.available on court systems within 24 hours. Professionals involved in the
:46:11. > :46:13.case and present on the day will know the outcome immediately. If the
:46:14. > :46:16.honourable gentleman is aware of details of any other cases where
:46:17. > :46:21.they might not be happening, these Danny Wright to me and I will
:46:22. > :46:28.respond. -- please can he writes to me. Since the start of January to
:46:29. > :46:35.the end of June 2017 there has been a net increase of 868 new prison
:46:36. > :46:41.officers, put in as well on track to recruit 2500 new officers by
:46:42. > :46:46.December 2018. Will the Minister be aware of the major drugs finds and
:46:47. > :46:50.major problems at the home house prison in my constituency which has
:46:51. > :46:53.seen experienced officers leave and replaced by 18-year-old recruits.
:46:54. > :46:57.Does the Minister really think that recruiting youngsters is the answer
:46:58. > :46:59.to meet the needs of an increasing present operation, tackle drugs and
:47:00. > :47:07.solve the crisis in the prison service? I take issue with the
:47:08. > :47:13.implication behind the honourable member's question. We are recruiting
:47:14. > :47:16.new prison officers. We were all inexperienced once but it doesn't
:47:17. > :47:23.mean we are not capable of doing our jobs. I have been to our training
:47:24. > :47:26.centre and a lot of the recruits are of the highest calibre, using the
:47:27. > :47:30.same recruitment methods we have used all through the years. The
:47:31. > :47:33.opposition did not believe we could deliver these numbers. We are
:47:34. > :47:39.delivering them and I think we should be supporting the government.
:47:40. > :47:44.The government's excellent policy in building a modern new prison in
:47:45. > :47:48.Wellingborough. Will the Minister be able to say how many new prison
:47:49. > :47:51.officers will be working at Wellingborough and when it will
:47:52. > :47:57.open. If you can't tell us now, will he write to me? I will certainly
:47:58. > :47:59.write to the honourable member about the staffing arrangements at
:48:00. > :48:03.Wellingborough, which have not been decided yet. But we are very proud
:48:04. > :48:09.and keen to be progressive with the opening of that prison. The Minister
:48:10. > :48:14.is boasting about the number of prison officers recruiting this
:48:15. > :48:19.year. But actually his ministry's on figures show that 35 prisons, one
:48:20. > :48:25.third of all prisons, have suffered a fall in front line officer numbers
:48:26. > :48:30.since January this year. Is this another example of what the former
:48:31. > :48:35.Director-General of prisons now describes as ministers doing nothing
:48:36. > :48:43.except issuing cheery press releases which suggest all is going precisely
:48:44. > :48:48.to plan? This is nothing about cheery press releases. 868 people on
:48:49. > :48:55.the payroll and have started in our prisons and are doing and heroic and
:48:56. > :49:01.brave job. We have promised to recruit 2500 new officers by the end
:49:02. > :49:05.of 2030, and we are on track to deliver that target. Of course,
:49:06. > :49:08.there are wider issues with the prison system, the retention of
:49:09. > :49:12.officers, which we are working on. We are also going beyond that, for
:49:13. > :49:17.example getting smart graduates to work on the front line. And again we
:49:18. > :49:24.have exceeded targets. These are not a boast, it was the opposition who
:49:25. > :49:27.said nobody would want to work in our prisons and talked the officers
:49:28. > :49:31.down. It's good to see people stepping up to do what is a brave
:49:32. > :49:42.and challenging job. Topical questions. Topical number one, Sir.
:49:43. > :49:46.My priorities as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State are to uphold and
:49:47. > :49:50.defend the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. And
:49:51. > :49:55.to ensure that our prisons are safe and secure places that also work
:49:56. > :50:01.effectively and with the probation service to rehabilitate offenders.
:50:02. > :50:05.That means strengthening the front line in the way my honourable friend
:50:06. > :50:11.has described. But it also means we need to respond better to reports
:50:12. > :50:16.from prison inspectors. That's why I am setting up a new unit, ultimately
:50:17. > :50:19.accountable to ministers, to ensure we respond to and follow up
:50:20. > :50:25.inspectors' report is swiftly and effectively. How many foreign
:50:26. > :50:28.national offenders are in our prisons and why isn't more being
:50:29. > :50:37.done to send them to secure detention in their own countries? As
:50:38. > :50:41.of the 30th of June this year, there were 6792 convicted foreign national
:50:42. > :50:50.offenders serving sentences in our prisons. In 2016-17 we removed 6177
:50:51. > :50:52.such offenders from the United Kingdom, including prisoner
:50:53. > :50:57.transfers. That's the highest number since records began. The Right
:50:58. > :51:03.Honourable member for Kettering will surely reissue his textbook to
:51:04. > :51:07.colleagues on succinct questions. This summer I was proud to sign up
:51:08. > :51:15.to the campaign launched by Jean Martin to change the law so that
:51:16. > :51:18.disgraceful practice of so-called up skirting is made a specific sexual
:51:19. > :51:23.offence. Will the Minister join us today in backing the school for a
:51:24. > :51:29.change in the law? I have taken very seriously the representations made
:51:30. > :51:34.by not only Gino Martin but from some of the police and crime
:51:35. > :51:37.commissioners around the country. I have asked for detailed advice on
:51:38. > :51:42.this. I hope the honourable gentleman would understand that
:51:43. > :51:47.before proceeding to legislation I want to be absolutely certain this
:51:48. > :51:53.will be the right course to take. Legal services in the UK are held
:51:54. > :51:57.rightly in high regard around the world and are a major asset to our
:51:58. > :52:03.economy. What is the Minister doing to champion and defend the interests
:52:04. > :52:07.of the legal sector in this country? He's absolutely right, legal
:52:08. > :52:11.services exports contribute a trade surplus of 3.4 billion to the UK
:52:12. > :52:14.economy. The UK is a global leader in dispute settlement. We're working
:52:15. > :52:18.with this sector to promote this key camp arable advantage. It's a
:52:19. > :52:25.priority for the Brexit negotiations. As a global leader, we
:52:26. > :52:30.will be taking to the International bar Association conference in
:52:31. > :52:33.Australia next month. Last week a report from the committee of the
:52:34. > :52:37.United Nations made 60 recommendations to the government as
:52:38. > :52:40.to how it can better comply with the UN Convention on the rights of
:52:41. > :52:43.Persons with disabilities. Can the Minister tell me how will the
:52:44. > :52:48.government respond and what changes in government policy to disabled
:52:49. > :52:54.people were we expect to see as a result? It's for the Minister for
:52:55. > :52:58.disabled people and the Department for Work and Pensions to decide on
:52:59. > :53:02.the overall government response to that report. I think the government
:53:03. > :53:06.was right to express disappointment that the report failed to
:53:07. > :53:10.acknowledge you significant advances that this government has made in
:53:11. > :53:15.improving the lot of disabled people in this country, not least in seeing
:53:16. > :53:21.a record number of people with disabilities now in employment. I
:53:22. > :53:25.would like to ask a front bench, what upgrades have been attained in
:53:26. > :53:30.prisons and achieved since we have come into office, and how we are
:53:31. > :53:39.going to rehabilitate prisoners even further. I'm assuming my honourable
:53:40. > :53:43.friend is referring to the prison estate where we have invested ?1.3
:53:44. > :53:48.billion to modernise the estate. As part of this we will be building
:53:49. > :53:52.10,000 modern prison places to help with offender rehabilitation. In
:53:53. > :53:59.terms of where we are now, we have started with a proposed development
:54:00. > :54:04.at Glenn Carver and also HMP Wellingborough. We have also
:54:05. > :54:07.announced plans to open four new prisons in Yorkshire, as well as
:54:08. > :54:13.Port Talbot in Wales and redevelop the young offender institution at
:54:14. > :54:16.Rochester. Given the problems the department has had one it has
:54:17. > :54:21.privatised many services, it seems extraordinary there are now plans to
:54:22. > :54:24.privatise a selection of court fines and outsource the work of civil
:54:25. > :54:31.enforcement officers. When will the government acknowledged these
:54:32. > :54:33.sensitive public services should be delivered by the body cannot private
:54:34. > :54:40.cowboys. Can the Minister update me on when
:54:41. > :55:00.the revised... INAUDIBLE We are committed to doing everything
:55:01. > :55:05.we can to improve the treatment of victims in the justice system. In
:55:06. > :55:13.relation to the practice session of which he refers, we expect to
:55:14. > :55:15.receive a since the election hundreds of constituents have
:55:16. > :55:19.contacted me about our current animal cruelty laws which are not
:55:20. > :55:22.fit for purpose. A maximum prison sentence of six months for some of
:55:23. > :55:25.the most appalling crimes such as torturing a dog to death is
:55:26. > :55:30.completely unacceptable. What steps will the Minister take to ensure
:55:31. > :55:30.that the sentencing guidelines are rigorously reviewed and
:55:31. > :55:42.strengthened? I thank the honourable lady and I
:55:43. > :55:47.sit share her desire to see robust sentences. In January, the
:55:48. > :55:51.sentencing council published new guidelines on relevant aggravating
:55:52. > :55:57.factors in animal cruelty cases. In the past 18 months, some of my
:55:58. > :56:05.decisions have died in HMP Bristol. As one of the highest rates -- one
:56:06. > :56:07.of the prisons with the highest rate of self-inflicted injury, what
:56:08. > :56:13.actions are being taken to get this figure down? Every death in custody
:56:14. > :56:21.is a tragedy and I offer my condolences to the members of the
:56:22. > :56:31.family. We have increased staff at HMP Bristol by 31 prison officers in
:56:32. > :56:35.the last year. I chair a weekly safer custody meeting and we
:56:36. > :56:43.investigate each death to see how we might prevent others. And we look at
:56:44. > :56:47.custody where mental health patients are involved. I would be willing to
:56:48. > :56:55.visit my honourable friend's prison to look at this as you.
:56:56. > :57:00.If larger, the Minister said that Brexit was a good thing because it
:57:01. > :57:06.young workers would be able to work longer hours. Can you confirm that
:57:07. > :57:14.the working Time directive would be continued? We are committed to the
:57:15. > :57:17.best possible employment conditions for all British workers. We have a
:57:18. > :57:22.fine record of achievement on that and we will ensure that when we
:57:23. > :57:28.leave the European Union, there is no diminution in workers' rights.
:57:29. > :57:33.In January last year, an Afghan national who previously served time
:57:34. > :57:38.for murder in the Netherlands, attacked two Crawley police
:57:39. > :57:43.officers. Recently, the Court of Appeal has reduced his sentence. Can
:57:44. > :57:48.I seek assurances from my right honourable friend that
:57:49. > :57:51.representations will be made to the Home Office to insure that he is
:57:52. > :57:59.deported at the earliest opportunity? Mr Speaker, I can give
:58:00. > :58:02.my honourable friend the issue is that the views of the Police
:58:03. > :58:10.Federation and others in this constituency will be conveyed to the
:58:11. > :58:15.Home Office. It remains the government's collective will to
:58:16. > :58:18.ensure that those foreign national offenders who merits deportation are
:58:19. > :58:24.deported as soon as possible after serving their sentence. Is the
:58:25. > :58:28.Minister aware that the equality and human rights commission have
:58:29. > :58:31.recommended that the protections afforded by the European Union
:58:32. > :58:38.Charter should be retained in the UK, and what is he going to do about
:58:39. > :58:42.it? I am always the roses by the approach of the opposition to the
:58:43. > :58:48.charter. When the Labour Party was in power, they claimed unfortunately
:58:49. > :58:53.that they were seeking an op -- opt out. Now they say they will drop
:58:54. > :58:56.back in. We have the strongest protection for human rights in this
:58:57. > :59:04.country. We will see no diminution in those rejections. But the charter
:59:05. > :59:12.is surplus to requirements. Does my right honourable friend agree that
:59:13. > :59:17.the pilot screen that allowed the filming of judges' sentencing
:59:18. > :59:21.remarks has been a incessant Willy now allow the broadcasting of court
:59:22. > :59:27.proceedings so that justice is not just on, but seem be done? We have
:59:28. > :59:32.made progress and years right that one area under review is
:59:33. > :59:37.broadcasting of judges' sentencing remarks in the Crown Court. We last
:59:38. > :59:43.year conducted experiments and we are looking at those trials and we
:59:44. > :59:47.will see how best to proceed. 316 people died in our prisons last year
:59:48. > :59:53.but e-mails from prison doctors printed in the media if your days
:59:54. > :59:58.ago say they are not -- there are not enough medical staffing prisons
:59:59. > :00:02.and urgent referrals are cancelled because of escort shortfalls. What
:00:03. > :00:09.is the Justice Secretary planning to do to tackle this growing health
:00:10. > :00:13.care crisis in custody? We are very conscious that the government has a
:00:14. > :00:18.duty of care to everyone we hold in custody. We are working with the
:00:19. > :00:21.health Department on a number of protocols including around mental
:00:22. > :00:27.health but also to ensure that prisoners get access to the health
:00:28. > :00:32.care they need when they need it. Would ministers give the House their
:00:33. > :00:36.response to the recent report by Lord farm on the importance of
:00:37. > :00:46.strengthening prisoners' family ties to reduce reoffending? Lord farm's
:00:47. > :00:50.report is an excellent report. Family ties are important to help
:00:51. > :00:57.people turn around their lives but also helps to improve stability in
:00:58. > :01:02.prisons. We will be polishing -- publishing our response in due
:01:03. > :01:06.course. Whilst I welcome the Minister's news about increased
:01:07. > :01:11.prison officers in HMP Bristol, I am concerned that the Department's own
:01:12. > :01:17.figures show that 770 experienced officers left the service last year.
:01:18. > :01:20.What is the Minister doing to retain and keep fully longer term
:01:21. > :01:30.experience, valuable prison officers? It is always the case that
:01:31. > :01:33.therapy puzzle would leave an organisation -- that there are
:01:34. > :01:38.people who would leave an organisation because of retirement
:01:39. > :01:43.or because they are not happy with what has been happening. We have got
:01:44. > :01:50.a retention plan and the number that I gave earlier on, 868, net new
:01:51. > :01:54.prison officers, takes account of people leaving the service. So we
:01:55. > :02:00.are actually up on last year's figures in taking account of people
:02:01. > :02:05.leaving the service. Having recently met with the government of a prison
:02:06. > :02:09.in my constituency, drones are becoming an increasing problem in
:02:10. > :02:14.prison as is the illegal use of mobile phones. The two are linked as
:02:15. > :02:18.the mobile phones give greater frequency and accuracy for drone
:02:19. > :02:28.activity. Does the Minister agree that the way to Cardrona activity
:02:29. > :02:34.and stop illegal mobile phone use to tell but phone activity and stop
:02:35. > :02:39.illegal phone use. Is to support my private members Bill. I fully
:02:40. > :02:44.support that bill, it is the right way to deal with the illegal use of
:02:45. > :02:52.mobile phones used to carry on a legalistic -- activity from behind
:02:53. > :02:57.bars. The building of a prison on the back of an industrial park is
:02:58. > :03:01.causing disquiet as my constituency. But IOC Minister to come to the
:03:02. > :03:07.public meeting to explain the physician to the community? The
:03:08. > :03:11.member is aware that ministers do not attend public consultation
:03:12. > :03:16.events around obtaining planning permission for new prisons. He is
:03:17. > :03:19.also aware that the site at Port Talbot was proposed along with a
:03:20. > :03:24.number of sites by the Welsh government who continue to support
:03:25. > :03:29.us in redeveloping the site for a new prison. I have received his
:03:30. > :03:33.representations on behalf of constituents, years diligent and
:03:34. > :03:37.persistent. And also we had a meeting on this on July 12.
:03:38. > :03:43.Obviously, subject to the two-day consultation which is more than
:03:44. > :03:48.would normally happen, I would be happy to think about what would
:03:49. > :03:56.ameliorate the concerns of his constituents. Woody Secretary of
:03:57. > :04:02.State look at the way families are treated by insurance companies when
:04:03. > :04:06.the householder get sick of your convictions. The Salvation Army has
:04:07. > :04:12.highlighted cases where is sure is has either been denied all made
:04:13. > :04:20.prohibitively expensive which I think is unnecessary? I am having to
:04:21. > :04:28.look at this and I am happy to examine this further. With exemplary
:04:29. > :04:36.brevity, I feel sure. With this view to historic child abuse in North
:04:37. > :04:41.Wales, will the Minister look at a report into the Waterhouse inquiry
:04:42. > :04:48.which relates to many of the children? The honest answer is that
:04:49. > :04:52.I'm not familiar with the detail as to why an unredacted copy has not
:04:53. > :04:59.been published but I will undertake to her to ask for urgent advice on
:05:00. > :05:05.that and write to her. I will call the next member if he keeps to a
:05:06. > :05:10.short sentence? Will my right honourable friend join me in paying
:05:11. > :05:14.tribute to the Lord Chief Justice's work who will have retired by the
:05:15. > :05:18.time we take these questions next time for his integrity as a judge
:05:19. > :05:24.and is modernising work in England and Wales. I am happy to join my
:05:25. > :05:30.honourable friend in his salute to Lord Thomas who has been a
:05:31. > :05:36.formidable and exemplary leader of the professional judiciary. What has
:05:37. > :05:39.struck me in the short time I have held my office is the enormous
:05:40. > :05:44.respect and also affection in which Lord Thomas is held by his
:05:45. > :05:54.colleagues on the judicial bench. And I am sure the entire house will
:05:55. > :05:59.want to wish him all the best. In the last Parliament, a joint report
:06:00. > :06:03.on women and inequalities found widespread exploitation of women at
:06:04. > :06:07.work especially young women in vulnerable employment. Now that the
:06:08. > :06:10.barrier of these has been reduced, will you look seriously at the
:06:11. > :06:14.recommendations of that report and work with other departments to
:06:15. > :06:19.ensure that women are aware of access to justice? I thank thee
:06:20. > :06:28.Oliver lady. As I explained earlier, we will take into account all the
:06:29. > :06:39.findings of the Select Committee. -- I thank the honourable lady.
:06:40. > :06:44.The IRA murderers suspected of killing Ian Gow have no fear of
:06:45. > :06:48.arrest with the recent revelation that hundreds if not thousands of
:06:49. > :06:52.letters are being sent out to veterans of the troubles with a view
:06:53. > :06:59.to further prosecutions and will he support a policy of a statute of
:07:00. > :07:07.limitations to put an end to this grotesque inequality of treatment?
:07:08. > :07:12.The answer is that I did read that letter. The matters he has raised
:07:13. > :07:18.the results will issue of the Secretary of State for Northern
:07:19. > :07:22.Ireland. He is very concerned to make sure a proper examination of
:07:23. > :07:27.the past and a search for the truth about the past does not lead to the
:07:28. > :07:30.unfair and disproportionate of arraignment of British soldiers who
:07:31. > :07:37.stood for democracy and human rights. We are well out of time. The
:07:38. > :07:41.Minister will be aware of the serious disorder at HMP Birmingham
:07:42. > :07:47.which follows a serious right that took place in December and incidents
:07:48. > :07:52.at other prisons over the summer. Clearly, our prisons are in crisis.
:07:53. > :07:59.Isn't it time we had an independent inquiry into the state of our
:08:00. > :08:04.prisons? We have already said that violence in our prisons is to hide.
:08:05. > :08:08.I spoke to the commander at HMP Birmingham on Sunday night and the
:08:09. > :08:11.first thing is to give praise to the professionalism of the prison
:08:12. > :08:20.service in dealing with a difficult and challenging situation. Of
:08:21. > :08:23.course, a key part of dealing with the security and stability problem
:08:24. > :08:27.in our prisons is increasing staffing levels on which there have
:08:28. > :08:32.been in of questions, and we are doing so. A wider part of that is
:08:33. > :08:38.dealing with phones and drones and also drugs and is it will take time
:08:39. > :08:47.to do so. But I praise our prison officers for their brave work.
:08:48. > :08:48.Urgent question. To