Live Justice Questions House of Commons


Live Justice Questions

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LineFromTo

Hello and welcome. In an hour the

shadow culture secretary, Tom

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Watson, will ask an urgent question

on the announcement concerning the

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government's review of fixed odds

betting terminals. People can bet

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£100 every 20 seconds on electronic

casino games. Ministers are

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considering a limit of £2 and £50.

The rest of the business will be

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remaining stages of the Finance

Bill. This afternoon at 2:30pm the

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Health Secretary will appear before

the Commons health committee. You

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can watch that live on our website.

Please join me for a round-up of

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both houses of parliament at 11pm

this evening but first questions to

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the Justice Secretary and his team

of ministers.

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The police have repeatedly

underlined the importance of the

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European arrest warrant in fighting

crime. If the price of maintaining

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security and continued effective

operation of other crime-fighting

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mechanisms is the jurisdiction of

the European Court of Justice, will

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the Minister put crime-fighting

first or let his arbitrary Red Line

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jeopardised security?

I thank the

honourable member. I am not sure

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making the UK's Supreme Court has

the last say on the law of the land

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his own arbitrary Red Line, but the

government's has set out our

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relationship or future relationship.

We have an ambitious plan for

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security law enforcement and

criminal justice. Maintaining strong

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extradition relations is an

important part of that agenda.

Will

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the Minister take on board the

recommendation from the Justice

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committee's report in the last

parliament, that underpinning any

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practical means of criminal justice

cooperation, including the European

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arrest warrant, is a continuing

relationship on maintaining data

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equivalency? Unless the data

regulations are equivalent, it will

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not be possible for European

agencies to share with us or vice

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versa?

I thank the chair of the

select committee, that is why we

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have gone through the data

protection Bill. We have data

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relations with countries all around

the world and I see no reason why we

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wouldn't continue to do so.

Given it

to countries like Iceland and Norway

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13 years to negotiate extradition

arrangements with the EU, does the

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minister accept that not maintaining

the European arrest warrant puts

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people in this country at risk of

seeing criminals go free and those

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criminals may well include terrorist

suspects who go free?

No, we're not

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in the position of Iceland, we start

with strong and intensive

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cooperation extradition and we will

maintain that for many years to

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come.

With the Minister agree one of

the reasons people voted to leave

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the European Union was to make the

Supreme Court, the Supreme Court?

My

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right honourable friend is right.

Also, let's not forget the advice of

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the former Lord Chief Justice, Lord

Thomas, who made it clear that there

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were problems with the European

arrest warrant. What we have done,

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we have legislated for extra

safeguards, but no one has suggested

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of dispensing altogether with vital

EU extradition except perhaps the

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figment of the Liberal Democrats

imagination.

Surely the government

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can be clear the government's

priority must be continued

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participation in the European arrest

warrant ahead of any jurisdiction

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with the Court of justice?

Can I

gently suggest he read the position

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paper on future partnership that was

published in September. It deals

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with the question he just asked, we

made it clear we do want to continue

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vital extradition relations with our

EU partners.

Number two Mr Speaker.

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The United Kingdom has a long

tradition to ensure liberties and

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rights are protected domestically

and fulfil human rights obligations

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and our decision to leave the

European Union does not say this.

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Last week, during evidence to the

Brexit committee, the minister said

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it is right we continue to rely on

the Human Rights Act and the

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Convention. Is it the government's

intention to stay ECHR?

Leaving the

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European Union does not affect our

membership of the convention.

When I

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was on that side of the House, we

were assured by ministers that the

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Charter of fundamental right would

not apply to the United Kingdom. I

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hope we will be able to deliver

that.

The EU withdrawal bill ensures

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it underpins the Charter and will

still have an effect on UK law after

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we leave the EU. The Charter was

created as a collection of the laws

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of the EU had passed and I think it

would be wrong if that Charter

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continued to be sited in any future

legal case once we have left the

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European Union.

Can the Minister

assure us that if we leave the

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European Union, that human rights

are very much involved the ability

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to put right miscarriages of justice

and will he assure me the criminal

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Case review commission will be

strengthened rather than weakened?

I

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can assure the honourable gentleman

the government's intention is to

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confirm that post-leaving the

European Union, when we leave the

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European Union, such access to

justice is available to British

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citizens.

When the United Kingdom

leaves the European Union, does the

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Minister, when that happens, does

the Minister agree that Council of

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Europe will become an increasing

important interlocutor between this

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country and the European Union? Will

he reiterate this government's

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commitment to staying in the

European Court of Human Rights?

I

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thank him for his question. When we

leave the European Union, it is

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important Britain maintains a strong

role in international affairs in

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terms of its lead on human rights. I

remind the House the original

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convention on human rights was

written by two Britons.

Number

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three, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker,

community sentences has been coming

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down since 2005. 34% of adults given

a community order or suspended

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sentence order go on to reoffend.

That evidence shows the community

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sentences are more affective of

reducing reoffending by short-term

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prison sentences.

I thank the

Secretary of State for his answer. I

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welcome the figures published on

Thursday showing figures coming down

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given community sentences. The third

of people on community sentences do

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reoffend. Would he consider the

swift and certain programmes in the

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United States that have had

considerable effect?

I am certainly

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keen to learn from best practice,

not just in the United States, but

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in other jurisdictions around the

world as well. What was striking

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about some of the figures last week,

they showed that offenders who

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underwent drug or alcohol treatment

in this country showed a 33%

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reduction in the number of offences

they committed the following two

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years. It is a lesson we can learn

from.

Can I also recommend to the

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Minister my proposal of deferred

prosecutions, which also gets to the

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community responses, that can reduce

recidivism and recommend those in

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the review the government asked for?

I reiterate to the honourable

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gentleman, the government's

appreciation for the work he put

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that review. We shall be responding

in detail to his recommendations,

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including the one he has just

mentioned.

Isn't it the case

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according to the Ministry of Justice

own figures, there is a direct

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correlation between the length of a

prison sentence and the likelihood

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of an offender reoffending. The

longer somebody spends in prison,

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the less likelihood they are going

to reoffend?

What is true is, it is

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the short-term sentences that appear

to have the least effect in reduced

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reoffending, but the comparison with

them is of alternative community

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sentences, which are available to

that similar type of crime and those

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community sentences work best when

they link up with services such as

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drug and alcohol treatment

programmes, provided sometimes by

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other authorities in the community.

I think the whole House will agree

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that community sentences function

only when magistrates have trust in

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the people supervising them. Last

year there were thousands of

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community sentences served in London

so therefore will the Secretary of

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State commit to an urgent

independent review of the

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performance of the London company

responsible for supervising many of

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these community sentences in London,

following revelations in last week's

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panorama investigation that the

London CRC had failed to act on

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15,000 missed appointments over 16

months?

The company responsible as

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the honourable gentleman knows, has

denied some of the claims that were

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made in the panorama programme.

Number less, it is quite clear

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missed appointments are a serious

matter. We expect the London CRC

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like others, to take appropriate

action. I believe in the Independent

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inspectorate of probation, we have

precisely the kind of independent

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body the honourable gentleman has

called for. They are looking at

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London and we look forward to their

next report.

I hear the Secretary of

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State's reassurances in relation to

the delivery of these community

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sentences from the so-called CRCs.

But I would need to know the advice

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Minister has about the failure of

those CRCs. Because of this

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documentary, panorama revealed a

paper warning of the risks of

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handing much of the supervision of

community sentences to the

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privatisation of probation. Will the

Secretary of State make this memo

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public so we and this House can

assure these flaws are being

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tackled?

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I think the honourable gentleman is

referring to a document that was

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produced some years ago. What is

important now is addressing the

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underperformance of some areas of

the probation service that we act

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upon the recommendations from the

Independent probation inspectorate

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and seek through the contractual

mechanism to drive up standards to

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where the public would expect them

to be.

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We recognise the distinct legal

systems across the UK and engage

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with counterparts in the devolved

administrations to prepare the

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ground for Brexit in terms of

preparing a smooth transition on

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things like civil co-operation but

seizing the global opportunities

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which contributed around £25 billion

for the UK economy last year. That

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being the case, what actual steps

has his department taken to ensure

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the Scottish legal services and the

Scottish legal system is protected

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once the UK leads the UK?

There is a

two part answer to that. Worst of

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all in negotiations with EU partners

we are very focused on making sure

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the cooperation we have now

continues as best and optimally as

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it did in the future. In relation to

the legal position, legal certainty

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will be ensured for citizens across

the UK.

The Government's legal

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services, it focuses solely on the

promotion of the English legal

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system but there is no mention of

Scotland and Northern Ireland. You

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see this is rectified later this

year?

I thank the Honourable

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gentleman. I can tell him we are

absolutely committed to promoting

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everyone of the finest exports

Scotland has from whiskey through to

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its brilliant lawyers.

The

Government's EU position papers on

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enforcement and dispute resolution

and security law enforcement and

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justice have significant

implications for the Scottish legal

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system and for law devolved to the

Scottish Parliament. Yet committed a

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dance of their publication, there

was no consultation with the

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Scottish Government or the Scottish

Law officers. What assurance can you

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give me that this sort of oversight

will not happen again?

I can say to

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the Honourable Lady, there was

considerable dialogue with all of

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the devolved Administration is on

the substance underpinning the

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position papers and a negotiating

position the UK has been taken.

Said

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David Edward, a former judge at the

Court of Justice, recently gave

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evidence to the Scottish Parliament

about these papers. He said, the UK

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Government has overlooked the

significance of the sector of the

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Scottish legal system, the

significance of the Scottish

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judicial system and the Scottish

prosecution system, particularly in

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relation to justice and home affairs

issues such as Europol, the European

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Arrest Warrant, cross-border systems

and regulations about regulation and

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enforcement of judgments. Will the

minister undertake to meet so that

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these oversights may be rectified?

I

thank the Honourable Lady does she

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has not pointed to one aspect, one

paragraph in the opposition paper

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she thinks we have got wrong. We

certainly do accept, recognise and

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embrace the huge contribution to the

Scottish legal and justice system

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makes. In relation to going forward,

will bear in mind very closely the

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different contours across the whole

of the UK.

Mr Speaker, the families

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of the resettlement agency that we

have covered this is a view shared

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by the probation service and Ofsted

at the time to work on these

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relationships is the moment an

offender is sent to jail for them to

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leave it longer is to leave it too

late for that that is why I welcome

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the excellent review by Lord Farmer

to implement all these

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recommendations.

Figures from the

farmer review show inmates receiving

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regular family visits are 39% less

likely to reoffend. What steps are

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the Government taking to enable more

family visits to happen in our

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prisons?

The honourable member is

absolutely right. Reoffending rates

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are amongst people with family

contact and not lower than for other

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offenders. We're working to

implement all of Lord Farmer's

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reviews over time. I know I shall be

meeting with her and a number of

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colleagues to discuss our progress

on this later.

The reference is of

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prisoner well-being. In Nottingham

four prisoners have killed

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themselves and one died of an

overdose. Why is this happening and

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what do you plan to do about it?

The

Honourable member makes an important

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point certainly for a lot of

prisoners, whether mental well-being

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or to do with issues of self harm

but also violence. Family contact

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can make the difference

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was that there are specific issues

relating to HMP Nottingham and I

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will be willing to write to him

about those.

In South Wales there

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are parents- teacher evenings which

take place in the prison so fathers

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can... Will you follow the example

set by Park?

At Parc prison there is

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good practice dotted around the

prison estate. We have our parent

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voice in other prisons. We want to

see the good practice spread across

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the entire estate to enable us to

devolved budgets to prison governors

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but also hold them to account and we

are piloting new family and

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significant relationship performance

measures as of next year.

Mr

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Speaker, number six.

Thank you, Mr

Speaker yesterday I laid a written

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ministerial statement before the

house setting out the details of

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legal aid relating to punishing

offenders act. It discharges the

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promise made by previous ministers

to this house. Expect the review to

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complete by the summer of 2018. -- I

expect.

I thank the Honourable

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Minister for his response on legal

aid reforms. It is disappointing

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even though the Government first

announced its review nine months ago

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it's not conclude for another nine

months. That is nine more months and

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many thousands of people not being

able to afford access to the the

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justice system. The Government's

forms to legal aid were intended to

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save millions of pounds. Legal aid

has fallen by double that. Will the

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minister lobby his colleague, the

Chancellor, to ensure some of the

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additional savings go immediately to

helping those who have been priced

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out of access to our justice system?

I thank the honourable gentleman. I

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thought he might have welcomed the

fact that yesterday we laid out the

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terms of the review. I'm not sure he

has had a chance to study the post

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legislative memorandum. Last year we

spent 1.6 billion on legal aid in

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England and Wales, quarter of the

Minister of justice budget.

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International comparisons are more

exact. The UK spent more per counter

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than any other Council of Europe

member.

Mr Speaker, in looking at

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the effect of the reduction of legal

aid on access to justice, will the

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minister also comment upon the

impact on access to justice of the

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closure of Magistrates' Courts? The

closure of Kendall caught the summer

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has removed easy access to justice

for hundreds of people, increasing

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pressure on the police, legal

professionals and local families.

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What can he do to restore the

physical access to justice?

I have

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to say to the honourable gentleman,

I understand his concern. We have a

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£1 billion court reform programme

invested in updating, modernising

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and introducing technology so that

as a result, we will actually

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deliver more sensitive justice for

victims and witnesses but also a

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better bang for the tax payers back.

Wales has seen one of the largest

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drops in legal aid provision,

particularly with housing with a

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government's belated reviews be

specifically looking at the impact

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of this?

I would say, the terms of

reference have been set out very

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clearly. The post-legislative

memorandum is wide in scope. She

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should feel free to submit any

particular point she wants to

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consider. I will not pre-empt or

prejudice the scope of the review we

0:21:300:21:35

have undertaken.

Has my right

honourable friend seen any evidence

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that reduction in legal aid has

affected rights in this country? Why

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is the market not working properly?

Good many of those issues will be

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examined by the review was if he

would like to write me with any

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concerns, I would be happy to look

at them.

20 months ago the Court of

0:21:570:22:02

Appeal revealed the Government's

restrictions of conviction for

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domestic violence to be unlawful.

Nine months ago ministers told this

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house that they would make changes

that would make it easier for

0:22:110:22:14

victims of domestic violence to

access legal aid. Nothing has

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happened. Victims can await another

nine months. When will the secondary

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legislation be brought forward?

I

thank the Honourable lady she is

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right that its survival to make sure

legal aid is available to victims of

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domestic violence. It was granted in

12,000 cases last year. We have

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reviewed the evidence and committed

to making it easier for victims to

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access legal aid I'll be announcing

details shortly.

Number seven, Mr

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Speaker.

We have already given

government 's freedom over prisons

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daily routine at timetabling the

staffing and family services and we

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intend to give governors control of

areas such as education and training

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provision. As other current contract

is, I will be looking at

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opportunities to devolved further

powerful but there are 21

0:23:080:23:11

recommendations in the farmer

review.

Ministers have made a

0:23:110:23:13

commitment for them all. What

incentives are being given to prison

0:23:130:23:19

governors to insure that

implementation happens on the

0:23:190:23:24

ground?

The budgets have already

been devolved to governors, which

0:23:240:23:27

enables them to commission family

services that are tailored to the

0:23:270:23:31

specific needs of their prisoners. I

have seen examples of this myself in

0:23:310:23:36

visiting both HMP Parc and HMP Proms

field. Governors will also be

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supported by new family services

guidance which will incorporate

0:23:420:23:47

evidence of Lord Farmer's reports

they can incorporate this practice.

0:23:470:23:53

It was confirmed that Bedford prison

was closed due to understaffing.

0:23:530:24:01

Improvements have been made while

the prison has operated at half

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capacity that can the minister in

show me the same problems will not

0:24:060:24:08

happen while the prisoners operating

at full capacity?

I am sure the

0:24:080:24:13

honourable gentleman were welcome

the fact we are halfway towards

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reporting the additional 2500 prison

officers that my predecessor, the

0:24:220:24:26

right honourable member for South

West Norfolk, announced about a year

0:24:260:24:29

ago. If the honourable gentleman has

particular concerns about the

0:24:290:24:34

specific prison, I'm sure my

honourable friend the prisons

0:24:340:24:37

minister will be happy to discuss

this with him.

I thank you, Mr

0:24:370:24:42

Speaker. I welcome the commitment to

implement in geek Farmer Review in

0:24:420:24:46

full. Importantly about family ties.

-- the Pharma. What more can be done

0:24:460:24:55

to ensure this is rolled out across

the whole prison estate?

One thing

0:24:550:25:00

which has struck me since being

imported to this role in government

0:25:000:25:03

is that we need to get better at

ensuring that the best, most

0:25:030:25:09

successful practices, in prisons,

are disseminated rapidly and widely.

0:25:090:25:15

One means of doing that is to ensure

that there is additional support for

0:25:150:25:21

individual prison governors at

regional level so they have

0:25:210:25:26

experienced mentors available to

them, particularly for new

0:25:260:25:29

governors. I hope that will help to

deliver change.

Governors cite the

0:25:290:25:36

outsourcing of facilities

management, maintenance and repairs

0:25:360:25:40

as undermining their ability to

manage important elements within our

0:25:400:25:43

own prisons. Labour announced a

review working with prison governors

0:25:430:25:48

to identify those private service

contracts that can be brought back

0:25:480:25:52

in-house to save the taxpayer money

and also, at the same time, improve

0:25:520:25:57

prison conditions. Will the

Government also commit to reviewing

0:25:570:26:01

these contracts?

As I said in my

answer to my honourable friend, as

0:26:010:26:12

existing contracts expire, we shall

be seeking new opportunities to

0:26:120:26:16

devolve powers to governors and two

clusters of prisons. They will then,

0:26:160:26:24

in association with the prison

service headquarters, have to strike

0:26:240:26:28

a balance between local provisioning

of services and the need to secure

0:26:280:26:31

the best value for taxpayers money.

Number eight, Mr Speaker.

At justice

0:26:310:26:42

questions in April I committed to

looking at this further. I remain to

0:26:420:26:45

be convinced this is a matter for

the Ministry of Justice.

Does the

0:26:450:26:51

minister agree with me to completely

unacceptable for a British citizen,

0:26:510:26:57

representing the strikers, to take

the issue to the EU petitions

0:26:570:27:00

committee for a judgment to be found

in his favour and for his own

0:27:000:27:03

government not to even bother to

respond?

0:27:030:27:13

The Ministry of Justice doesn't

think it holds any documents

0:27:130:27:16

regarding this case. I would be

grateful if the honourable member

0:27:160:27:20

would write to me setting up the

issues and I will almost certainly

0:27:200:27:23

to arrange for my officials to have

a meeting with them.

Drones are a

0:27:230:27:31

threat, but also an opportunity for

prisons, where they are a threat we

0:27:310:27:36

are determined to tackle the

organised crime groups who use them.

0:27:360:27:39

In terms of the opportunities, the

prison service is investing in

0:27:390:27:45

drones to manage large-scale

incidents to allow us to respond

0:27:450:27:55

quickly.

I think the Minister is

seeking to group this question.

I

0:27:550:28:04

thank my honourable friend, he will

know the technology that moves

0:28:040:28:06

faster. Can he assure me hate champ

in my constituency will have access

0:28:060:28:13

to the relevant funds in order to

have the technologies in place to

0:28:130:28:17

combat both the use of drones and

mobile telephones?

Absolutely. It

0:28:170:28:27

would benefit from a 2 million pot

which is being used to invest in

0:28:270:28:32

mobile phone detection technology

and an additional £3 million being

0:28:320:28:37

invested in a national intelligence

team to help tackle serious and

0:28:370:28:41

organised crime and what this'll do,

is allow us to do with serious and

0:28:410:28:46

organised crime in our prisons but

also our community, as we will be

0:28:460:28:49

working with the Home Office on this

project.

I thank the Minister for

0:28:490:28:58

that response. On April the PSNI and

Prison Service in Northern Ireland

0:28:580:29:09

set up a project to address the

problem of mobile phones drugs and

0:29:090:29:13

contraband being brought into

prisons. Has he considered a radio

0:29:130:29:19

blocker that would prevent drones

entering prison property?

0:29:190:29:25

Absolutely, we do have an

intelligence unit dealing with

0:29:250:29:29

organised crime in our prisons in a

concerted way. But we are doing that

0:29:290:29:33

alongside investing in anti-drug

technology, but also my Bell phone

0:29:330:29:37

detection technology and bringing

this together means we can do with

0:29:370:29:44

the threat of drones pose across the

prison estate. Also deal with it in

0:29:440:29:51

the community because often the

organised crime is in the community

0:29:510:29:54

or people in the prison estate doing

this.

Approximately 200 kilograms of

0:29:540:30:03

drugs were smuggled into the England

and Wales prison estate last day.

0:30:030:30:08

What proportion does the Minister

believe smuggled in with the use of

0:30:080:30:12

drones and what support is he giving

to the prison in my constituency to

0:30:120:30:17

help deal with this?

It is difficult

to tell what proportion was brought

0:30:170:30:22

in by drones. Where drones are

successful, we know the ones that

0:30:220:30:26

are unsuccessful. We do know drones

are a serious and emerging threat

0:30:260:30:32

because of the load they can carry

in our prisons. Dealing with drugs

0:30:320:30:37

in prisons is not just about the

counter drones strategy, it is about

0:30:370:30:41

looking at the illicit economy

imprisons over role, mobile phones

0:30:410:30:46

help facilitate this, but also

cracking down on corruption where it

0:30:460:30:49

exists, in looking at the supply

chain and looking at law

0:30:490:30:53

enforcement. There is no single way

of dealing with this, we have to do

0:30:530:30:56

all this across the board to crack

down on it. I have seen a number of

0:30:560:31:07

incidents in my time in prisons, and

every incident that happens in any

0:31:070:31:11

prison has its own unique situation.

And that is why we always

0:31:110:31:17

investigate incidents in prisons

very thoroughly. It is obviously the

0:31:170:31:20

case we held some of the most

challenging individuals in our

0:31:200:31:24

society in our prisons, so incidents

sometimes do occur. Our job is to

0:31:240:31:29

minimise the risk and manage those

incidents when they happen.

The

0:31:290:31:36

Chief Inspectorate of prisons has

said that staffing levels simply are

0:31:360:31:40

too low for a decent regime to be

run. We need prison officers on the

0:31:400:31:45

front line, not filling in for cuts

elsewhere. Under this government we

0:31:450:31:50

have lost 6000 prison officers. Will

he take some of the responsibility

0:31:500:31:55

for the crises that have taken place

in my constituency of Walton?

The

0:31:550:32:05

member for Liverpool Walton, I have

taken a keen interest in his local

0:32:050:32:09

prison. The staff complement there

is as it should be, one of the ten

0:32:090:32:17

Pathfinder prisons where we are

implementing a new offender

0:32:170:32:20

management model and I was

discussing the staffing level there

0:32:200:32:23

with the chair of the prison

officers Association and he

0:32:230:32:28

commended that staffing is at full

strength. That doesn't mean there

0:32:280:32:31

isn't more to do, but I'm confident

we will achieve that.

The chief

0:32:310:32:41

executive of the Prison Service has

stated that because of overcrowding,

0:32:410:32:47

the government won't be able to

proceed with planned closures,

0:32:470:32:50

throwing the financing of their

prison building plan into disarray.

0:32:500:32:54

In light of these concerns, the OJ

will be able to build new prisons

0:32:540:33:00

without selling off the old. The

model their building plan was based.

0:33:000:33:06

Can the Minister give a guarantee

that no new prison places will be

0:33:060:33:10

built from private funds?

The

honourable member seems to have

0:33:100:33:16

forgotten that we have a duty to

House those sentenced by the court.

0:33:160:33:23

The current prison population in

England and Wales is 80 6000. We

0:33:230:33:29

have a duty to provide accommodation

for them to serve their sentence. We

0:33:290:33:33

still have a commitment to invest

£1.3 million in the prison estate to

0:33:330:33:38

create 10,000 additional prison

places. That certainly remains the

0:33:380:33:43

case over the course of this

Parliament.

The Minister will be

0:33:430:33:48

aware one of the main causes of

overcrowding in our prisons are the

0:33:480:33:52

very long delays in our criminal

justice system and the number of

0:33:520:33:57

prisoners on remand. He will know I

have written to him about, of a very

0:33:570:34:01

long delay of somebody on remand,

Cordell Austin, who was first

0:34:010:34:09

arrested back in May 2016 under a

large joint enterprise case, but was

0:34:090:34:14

acquitted in August this year. He's

still in prison, having served

0:34:140:34:19

nearly 18 months in prison. He's not

due to get his oral hearing, we were

0:34:190:34:24

told next year, now it is going to

be December. Aren't these sorts of

0:34:240:34:29

cases that need attention and

shouldn't those hearings be heard

0:34:290:34:32

promptly?

Justice has to be swift

and where people have to go through

0:34:320:34:38

the justice system, it has to be.

Can I correct an assumption in the

0:34:380:34:43

question, the reason why the prison

population has increased in England

0:34:430:34:45

and Wales is because we have more

people convicted of sex-related

0:34:450:34:51

offences who are serving longer

sentences. Given our duty to protect

0:34:510:34:57

the public, it is right that where

these people are convicted by the

0:34:570:35:01

courts, they serve their time. She

has mentioned a specific case in her

0:35:010:35:06

constituency and what she perceives

to be the injustice, but I wouldn't

0:35:060:35:09

generalise from that specific case

to say that is why we have

0:35:090:35:13

overcrowding in our prisons.

Improving safety and reducing the

0:35:130:35:18

risk of serious incidents, serious

harm in youth custody is a priority

0:35:180:35:24

and we are committed to reforming

currents custodial provision.

Given

0:35:240:35:30

no prison is safe for children and

over a third of the children

0:35:300:35:35

imprisoned have diagnosed of mental

health conditions, nearly 70% of the

0:35:350:35:40

children sent to prison reoffend

within a year of release. Does the

0:35:400:35:44

Minister believe it is time to find

an alternative to sending children

0:35:440:35:49

to prison?

I recognise the rate of

69% is an acceptable. And that is

0:35:490:35:57

why I am bringing forward secure

schools, one in the north-west and

0:35:570:36:04

one in the South East of England. We

recognise we have a problem with

0:36:040:36:10

custodial 's, but with regards to

mental health, this is an issue. It

0:36:100:36:15

is deep-seated, we are dealing with

approximately 1000 individuals at

0:36:150:36:20

any one time been locked up. They

can often be deeply damaged and I

0:36:200:36:25

can assure the honourable lady I am

cognisant of that.

I welcome the

0:36:250:36:31

idea of a secure school in the

north-west, it is the right

0:36:310:36:34

direction of travel. Will the

Minister give a guarantee to the

0:36:340:36:37

House and to the public that

staffing levels will ensure the

0:36:370:36:41

schools are safe, but also become

places where we can break any

0:36:410:36:46

reoffending cycle?

I thank the

honourable gentleman for his

0:36:460:36:50

question. He is aware that in a part

of the world he used to represent as

0:36:500:36:56

the mayor is ahead in terms of

dealing with individuals in a more

0:36:560:37:01

holistic approach. Staffing is an

issue. We have brought forward I

0:37:010:37:05

youth custody officer role that will

start in 2018 and we will bring

0:37:050:37:08

forward 80 people to improve the

type of care these individuals can

0:37:080:37:14

offer. We are under no illusions

about the challenges. Secure

0:37:140:37:20

schools, the guidelines around them

in terms of how we procure them and

0:37:200:37:24

their staffing arrangements, is

going to be announced in the New

0:37:240:37:27

Year.

Number 13, Mr Speaker.

We are

taking action across government to

0:37:270:37:38

bring about a step change in

response to the sexual abuse and

0:37:380:37:42

exploitation of children including

the roll-out of examination of

0:37:420:37:49

vulnerable witnesses and that will

include victims to continue in the

0:37:490:37:57

autumn.

It takes tremendous courage

for children to come forward such

0:37:570:38:03

cases and the process of giving

evidence is harrowing. They deserve

0:38:030:38:07

justice and when it doesn't happen

they are left deeply disillusioned

0:38:070:38:10

with the system. It is something I

have seen in my own constituency.

0:38:100:38:15

What further steps can the

government make to ensure justice is

0:38:150:38:18

done and can you look at the

criminal injuries compensation

0:38:180:38:21

scheme to ensure child abuse victims

are treated fairly? I thank my

0:38:210:38:27

honourable friend for his question.

It is important that the nature of

0:38:270:38:31

grooming can make abuse difficult to

detect, that is why we have

0:38:310:38:41

consulted with experts and charities

to produce a new guidance, which has

0:38:410:38:44

been published to ensure every

victim gets the compensation to

0:38:440:38:48

which they are entitled.

Question

number 14.

We are working to keep

0:38:480:38:58

our brave prison officers safe by

strengthening the front line. We

0:38:580:39:03

have 20,000 individual officers in

post. That is an increase of 1290

0:39:030:39:10

since October last year in the

highest level since 2013. We are

0:39:100:39:15

giving prison officers the tools

they need to do their job, we have

0:39:150:39:19

invested in 5600 body worn cameras

to be worn in prison estates.

In

0:39:190:39:28

Chelmsford prison the number of

attacks against staff rose to 120

0:39:280:39:32

last year, but since then they have

recruited more staff and installed

0:39:320:39:37

mobile phone detectors and they are

rolling out a new digital

0:39:370:39:40

initiative, which since piloted,

attacks on prison officers have more

0:39:400:39:47

than half. Will the Minister join me

in welcoming this process to put

0:39:470:39:51

staff safety first.

I certainly

welcome the progress and I would

0:39:510:39:59

like to visit Chelmsford prison, so

I make that offer to the honourable

0:39:590:40:04

member and also say we want to go

further. She will be aware we are

0:40:040:40:09

supporting the member for ronde's

Private members Bill on emergency

0:40:090:40:13

workers which will increase

penalties for assaults on prison

0:40:130:40:16

officers. Number 16 Mr Speaker. We

are making good progress in helping

0:40:160:40:26

prisoners progress to eventual

release. We have implemented a

0:40:260:40:34

measure such as psychology lead case

reviews and we have an additional

0:40:340:40:41

three regimes planning to come

online at the end of 2018.

I thank

0:40:410:40:47

the Minister his response. The

justice committee heard on the 18th

0:40:470:40:53

of October that 760 released

prisoners have been recalled in the

0:40:530:40:59

last year, but 60% of those were

quickly rereleased. Does the

0:40:590:41:03

Minister agree with the chair of the

parole board that the threshold for

0:41:030:41:07

recall is too low and should be

reviewed so as to stop the revolving

0:41:070:41:11

door the prisoners who have already

long served their minimum tariff?

I

0:41:110:41:18

thank the honourable lady for the

question. I don't agree the

0:41:180:41:22

threshold is too low. And where a

prisoner is recalled, it is not

0:41:220:41:26

because they were found hiding under

their mother's bed, it is often

0:41:260:41:32

because there is a clear causal link

to the behaviour exhibited at the

0:41:320:41:37

time of the index offence. Margie T

is to keep the public safe and where

0:41:370:41:42

there is any signal or any cause for

concern, it is right they are called

0:41:420:41:47

into custody. That said, the

National Probation Service is

0:41:470:41:50

working on a programme to help

prisoners when they are released

0:41:500:41:54

into the community, to help them

transition into the community and

0:41:540:41:59

reduce the incidence of recall, in a

way that protects the public but

0:41:590:42:02

allows them to rebuild their lives.

Number 17.

0:42:020:42:11

We are investing over a billion to

bring our courts into the

0:42:110:42:16

21st-century, to deliver swifter and

more effective justice.

I am

0:42:160:42:21

grateful to the Minister for that

response. I wonder if you can Tammy

0:42:210:42:25

what can be done to ensure the court

room environment and the wider

0:42:250:42:31

environment helps to put victims and

witnesses at ease and support them

0:42:310:42:35

through the process of giving

evidence.

She is absolutely right

0:42:350:42:39

that we need to reduce the amount of

stress and trauma for victims and

0:42:390:42:43

witnesses. We are doing a whole

range of things. Firstly, in

0:42:430:42:48

relation to victims and witnesses

waiting to give evidence, we are

0:42:480:42:51

having model waiting rooms. In the

court room itself we are rolling out

0:42:510:43:00

section 28 pre-recorded

cross-examination to crown courts

0:43:000:43:02

nationally for the before that we

will extend to victims of sexual

0:43:020:43:07

offences or modern slavery offences.

19, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, we

0:43:070:43:18

changed GLC contracts to better

reflect costs CRC 's work and

0:43:180:43:25

caring. Payments are still below

original forecasts.

I am grateful

0:43:250:43:31

for that answer. Could the Secretary

of State, Lord Chancellor, publish

0:43:310:43:34

how much additional resource in

total he has given to the CRC

0:43:340:43:41

companies, which received the

additional resource, and what he

0:43:410:43:44

intends them to do with the product

they have been given?

The answer to

0:43:440:43:50

the last question is, we expect them

to use that money to improve on the

0:43:500:43:55

delivery of services and to match

the best CRCs. We did not award the

0:43:550:44:08

CRCs a specific sound you did was

agree to alter contracts in such a

0:44:080:44:13

way we accepted a greater proportion

of their costs as fixed. The figure

0:44:130:44:21

of 277 million which is in public

circulation is an estimate of how

0:44:210:44:25

that adjustment might increase the

total contract value. But that is

0:44:250:44:29

based on certain assumptions about

volumes of payment by results. I

0:44:290:44:35

reiterate the payments will

certainly still be within the

0:44:350:44:39

forecast budget.

We are deeply

obliged to the Secretary of State.

0:44:390:44:44

Stephen Morgan. Not here. Where are

these fellows? All is not ill with

0:44:440:44:51

the well because the honourable

member for Banbury is here.

Victoria

0:44:510:44:56

Prentice.

Number 23, please. Mr

Speaker, we outlined our plans to

0:44:560:45:02

reform youth justice in response to

Charlie Taylor's view last December

0:45:020:45:05

for that we have created a new youth

custody service responsible for the

0:45:050:45:10

day-to-day running of the youth

state and committed millions of

0:45:100:45:15

pounds to its reform.

We heard this

Wanyama just a select committee that

0:45:150:45:19

a third of people on jobseeker's

allowance have criminal records. --

0:45:190:45:23

this morning at a select committee.

We are starting to set an example

0:45:230:45:35

with the Ministry of Justice banning

the box and treating ex-offenders on

0:45:350:45:40

a par with any other applicant for a

job. That is widely known throughout

0:45:400:45:45

the public service and we look to

the private sector to match this

0:45:450:45:48

because we believe ex-offenders can

contribute a great deal to the

0:45:480:45:53

successful work of private sector

companies. Topical questions...

0:45:530:45:58

Topical question number one.

Mr

Speaker, since the last justice

0:45:580:46:04

questions can it has been my

pleasure to welcome the appointment

0:46:040:46:07

of Lord Burnett as Chief Justice of

England and Wales and the historic

0:46:070:46:14

appointment of Baroness Hale to the

Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

0:46:140:46:18

Where she leads, we hope that many

others will follow. I look forward

0:46:180:46:22

to working with them both to ensure

the digit Shri's essential role at

0:46:220:46:26

the heart of our nation continues to

be championed and respected. In

0:46:260:46:34

addition to the comments made by by

honourable friend a few moments ago

0:46:340:46:37

about new guidance for the

compensation authority, I can tell

0:46:370:46:43

the house I have asked my department

to give full consideration to wider

0:46:430:46:48

concerns that have been expressed

about the rules of that compensation

0:46:480:46:51

scheme as part of my department's

work to develop a strategy for

0:46:510:46:57

victims and in light of

recommendations we expect next year

0:46:570:47:01

about an Independent enquiry into

child abuse.

After last week's

0:47:010:47:05

panorama about failings of

privatisation of probation, will be

0:47:050:47:10

Mr Holt any plans to limit

night-time supervision?

What we will

0:47:100:47:19

look to do is make sure we get the

best value for money for taxpayers.

0:47:190:47:26

What is happening in probation

hostels is hiring people to cover

0:47:260:47:31

some night-time shifts. We must bear

in mind early for the tax payer but

0:47:310:47:36

also protecting the public.

As my

honourable friend is aware, Kirkland

0:47:360:47:42

prison in my constituency is a

category D prison which helps

0:47:420:47:46

prisoners transition to life

outside. What measures have been

0:47:460:47:51

taken to help rehabilitate offenders

and improved ways of operating?

0:47:510:47:57

Empowering governors, giving them

control of the budget, holding them

0:47:570:48:01

accountable for training and

education outcomes is what we are

0:48:010:48:03

doing across the estate, including

four prisons like Kirk, in order for

0:48:030:48:09

them to deliver rehabilitation.

Thank you. The family courts are

0:48:090:48:16

full of people representing

themselves. The new president of the

0:48:160:48:21

Supreme Court, Lady Justice Hale,

described the 's legal aid reform as

0:48:210:48:29

false economy. Will this not reduce

the number of cases coming to court

0:48:290:48:34

as well as court time? Can you

guarantee the review will include

0:48:340:48:38

analysis of the cost on the rest of

the legal aid system because of the

0:48:380:48:43

Government's on this and of early

legal aid?

I thank the honourable

0:48:430:48:48

lady for her intervention. In

relation to the family courts, it is

0:48:480:48:52

right that the need to try to reduce

the number of cases getting into the

0:48:520:48:57

courts in the first place, tickly

given the witnesses and those

0:48:570:48:59

involved are often traumatised Mork

by the process of going to court. --

0:48:590:49:07

traumatised more. There is wide

scope for the issues she mentioned

0:49:070:49:11

be taken into account. I will not

pre-empt or prejudice what that will

0:49:110:49:15

look like right now. The

exceptionally high cost to

0:49:150:49:22

businesses of commercial litigation

is good for commercial lawyers.

0:49:220:49:25

Perhaps I should declare an

interest. It is not good for

0:49:250:49:29

businesses large and small full one

answer to that which has developed

0:49:290:49:34

recently is commercial litigation

financing. Will the Lord Chancellor

0:49:340:49:37

can to ethical and other concerns

around that, as by Lord souks

0:49:370:49:44

recently?

We will be happy to look

into that and take account of any

0:49:440:49:49

representations my honourable friend

wishes to make.

Why is the

0:49:490:49:52

Government planning to give security

companies and bailiffs power of

0:49:520:49:55

arrest which will be the result of

privatising the collection of court

0:49:550:50:01

fees? 15,000 people have signed a

petition opposing these plans

0:50:010:50:05

because they do not agree that

15,000 jobs or the safety of

0:50:050:50:10

vulnerable people should be put at

risk.

These are not in fact new

0:50:100:50:15

powers. They have been in use for

many years across the country. They

0:50:150:50:19

applied to arrests relating to debt

and community penalty breaches and

0:50:190:50:23

must follow the issue of a warrant

of arrest from the criminal courts.

0:50:230:50:27

Any use of these powers is overseen

by Her Majesty's and tribunal

0:50:270:50:32

services.

Following the triumph of

the Conservative manifesto at the

0:50:320:50:39

election, can I congratulate the

Lord Chancellor on finding another

0:50:390:50:43

half baked and unpopular policy to

put before the electorate? That

0:50:430:50:49

giving prisoners vote. Could he

acknowledge that no one is taking a

0:50:490:50:53

vote away from prisoners, they are

taken away from themselves? If

0:50:530:50:57

voting is so important bags they

would not have committed crimes in

0:50:570:51:00

the first place led to them being

sent to prison. I urge him to reject

0:51:000:51:07

this ridiculous policy which goes

down like a lead balloon to the

0:51:070:51:11

electorate.

Mr Speaker, the

Government is preparing its position

0:51:110:51:15

ahead of the December meeting of the

committed ministers of the council

0:51:150:51:18

of Europe. Any changes to our

position we will announce to

0:51:180:51:23

Parliament in the usual way.

Thank

you, Mr Speaker. Can the minister

0:51:230:51:29

please tell me what steps his

department is taking to insure the

0:51:290:51:34

funding of youth justice services in

places like Warwickshire which has

0:51:340:51:37

seen significant cuts in their

funding?

We spend over £200 million

0:51:370:51:44

a year on youth justice. As I

outlined earlier, we spent 64

0:51:440:51:49

million additional funds on the

custodial estate. We are conscious

0:51:490:51:53

of the difficulties within the

customer deal estate. It is also

0:51:530:51:57

within the community, which is why

have commissioned a report on the

0:51:570:52:01

value of sport to criminal justice,

particularly for young people. This

0:52:010:52:04

will be published in the New Year.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Tomorrow sees

0:52:040:52:11

the release of Mubarak Ali, a serial

child exploitation offender in

0:52:110:52:18

Telford. Please can the minister

confirm all that should be done has

0:52:180:52:22

been done to protect the public and

the victims concerned?

To the best

0:52:220:52:28

of my knowledge that has been done.

Of course, Mr Ali is being released

0:52:280:52:32

in accordance with the law, having

served the term that was set out by

0:52:320:52:38

the judge in his case for the

purposes of punishment and

0:52:380:52:43

deterrence. Can I say to my

honourable friend is she and her

0:52:430:52:47

constituents have any concerns about

the circumstances of the release and

0:52:470:52:51

supervision arrangements that should

follow, I should ask her to bring

0:52:510:52:55

them to the attention of myself

without delay.

Thank you. 61% of

0:52:550:53:01

women who leave prison on a sentence

of less than 12 months recommit

0:53:010:53:05

within the first year. My recent

Westminster Hall debate, the

0:53:050:53:09

minister made various committees

around new interventions and various

0:53:090:53:12

reviews to support women leading and

in prison. Could you make is they

0:53:120:53:18

bent on when this will be complete

and when there will be a better and

0:53:180:53:23

fuller programme to support women in

prison?

The debate was a very good

0:53:230:53:28

debate and well attended was appears

aware I have committed to creating a

0:53:280:53:34

women's strategy. When this is in

place it will be published. It will

0:53:340:53:41

be about how we can do more in the

community so we can prevent knocking

0:53:410:53:44

up women.

Can I invite the minister

to join me in saying to our

0:53:440:53:54

honourable friend that most people

imprisoned never voted? When they

0:53:540:53:59

come out they are unlikely to vote.

By making it compulsory they are

0:53:590:54:03

more likely to think about other

people and not just themselves.

I

0:54:030:54:08

think we hope that all prisoners,

when they come to be released from

0:54:080:54:11

prison, will be fully integrated in

society and lead a law-abiding life

0:54:110:54:17

and a life of constructive

citizenship. As I said a few moments

0:54:170:54:21

ago, the Government will make clear

its approach to a forthcoming

0:54:210:54:26

committee of ministers meeting in an

announcement to Parliament in the

0:54:260:54:30

usual fashion.

Thank you, Mr

Speaker. 54,000 women lose jobs each

0:54:300:54:41

year due to pregnancy and maternity

discrimination. The Secretary of

0:54:410:54:43

State might remember the chaos of

the early weeks caring for a

0:54:430:54:45

newborn. The time limit for bringing

an employment tribunal claim is

0:54:450:54:47

three months will he look at the

issue as recommended by the Justice

0:54:470:54:51

select Mitty and the equality and

rights commission and extend the

0:54:510:54:56

time limit for claims relating to

discrimination?

I thank the

0:54:560:55:01

honourable lady. It is an important

and sensitive area. I have spoken to

0:55:010:55:06

the honourable lady, the chair of

the select committee. Can she send

0:55:060:55:09

the evidence which would show that

putting it back to six months rather

0:55:090:55:13

than three months would make a

difference? Some of the same

0:55:130:55:18

considerations would also apply to

six months.

What a rich vein!

Mr

0:55:180:55:26

Dominic Grieve. Thank you, Mr

Speaker. May I welcomed the news

0:55:260:55:32

that the Government is considering

again prisoners rights to vote. I

0:55:320:55:38

think my right honourable friend may

find that this is a matter where, in

0:55:380:55:42

fact, public opinion has shifted and

the mood in this House has shifted

0:55:420:55:47

very much as well. It is high time

we remedied something which places

0:55:470:55:51

us in a very small category of

countries. Most countries manage to

0:55:510:55:55

allow prisoners to vote, or

certainly those centres to short

0:55:550:56:00

sentences of imprisonment without

the world coming to an end for that

0:56:000:56:04

it is an important tool in civic

participation and rehabilitation.

My

0:56:040:56:09

honourable friend expresses a review

I know he has held for a long time

0:56:090:56:15

and be very clear about. I am sure

he will be following this debate

0:56:150:56:20

closely when the Government has come

to its view on our approach to the

0:56:200:56:24

meeting we will share that with

Parliament.

The Government has new

0:56:240:56:31

proposals to limit legal costs and

damages recovered in clinical

0:56:310:56:36

negligence cases. Patient groups are

extremely concerned this will mean

0:56:360:56:42

serious cases involving older

people, child death and stillbirth

0:56:420:56:46

will be impossible to pursue. Will

the minister agreed to meet with me

0:56:460:56:50

and these groups to hear their

concerns and sort the proposals out?

0:56:500:56:57

I think that the matter which the

honourable lady has mentioned,

0:56:570:57:01

serious and sensitive as it

undoubtedly is, does fall in large

0:57:010:57:06

part to the Department of Health. I

will be happy for either myself or

0:57:060:57:11

the Minister of State to discuss

this further with her.

0:57:110:57:14

Following my ten minute rule Bill in

March including robust enforcement

0:57:140:57:22

of child arrangement orders, opening

up the family courts and updating

0:57:220:57:30

divorce laws, what progress has the

government made?

Can I thank the

0:57:300:57:37

honourable lady for her proposals

and thought she has put into it. In

0:57:370:57:41

relations since 2011, there are

issues we are working through with

0:57:410:57:49

the Department for Education. In

relation to private law we are

0:57:490:57:52

committed to facilitating this

settling more family disputes to

0:57:520:57:58

avoid victims of having to go

through the trauma of court

0:57:580:58:01

proceedings.

Following our meeting

with the Minister, last week I

0:58:010:58:10

received a letter from the court

Minister saying Sunderland's court

0:58:100:58:14

buildings were below what is

expected. The court is over 100

0:58:140:58:18

years old, damp with poor access

ability and is inadequate for

0:58:180:58:22

victims and staff alike. Will the

Minister visit Sunderland, together

0:58:220:58:26

with the honourable member for

Sunderland Central and explain to

0:58:260:58:32

the people of Sunderland why they

don't deserve better from his

0:58:320:58:37

government.

I welcome the

opportunity to sit down with her and

0:58:370:58:40

the other honourable lady to look at

the issue. We are going to make sure

0:58:400:58:44

the refurbishment is done as soon as

is practical. What we want to make

0:58:440:58:50

sure is a long-term, for her

constituency and across the country,

0:58:500:58:54

we have the courts in the right

places with the right technology and

0:58:540:58:57

refurbishment to make sure they get

the best access for justice.

The

0:58:570:59:04

reputation of our legal system

depends on our respect for our

0:59:040:59:08

international obligations. And

therefore, considering the response

0:59:080:59:11

in advance of the committee of

ministers, will my right honourable

0:59:110:59:16

friend, bear in mind that respecting

the judgments of the European Court

0:59:160:59:20

of Justice is a better guy for this

country's reputation than the

0:59:200:59:26

amateur is prudence from the dog and

duck?

Mr Speaker, the rule of law is

0:59:260:59:34

something that is at the heart of

this country's constitutional

0:59:340:59:39

conditions. It is expressed in the

oath that I and every Lord

0:59:390:59:44

Chancellor has to take. And my

honourable friend will also recall

0:59:440:59:47

that the manifesto on which he, I

and other colleagues stood for a

0:59:470:59:56

while, remain party to the European

Court of Human Rights for the

0:59:561:00:01

remainder of this Parliament.

The

recently published commission report

1:00:011:00:06

has highlighted a number of serious

issues relating to access to

1:00:061:00:10

justice, including representation at

inquests. In light of tragic events

1:00:101:00:15

such as Grenfell Tower and

Hillsborough, can the Minister

1:00:151:00:19

commit to providing legal aid is an

inquest in all cases when the state

1:00:191:00:22

is funding one or more of the other

parties?

Can I thank the honourable

1:00:221:00:27

lady for her question on this

salient point. Legal aid remains

1:00:271:00:32

available through the exceptional

case funding scheme. And while those

1:00:321:00:37

decisions are decided independently,

I can reassure her that over half of

1:00:371:00:42

the applications in inquest cases

where in deed granted.

Full-bodied

1:00:421:00:49

drug scanners to detect drugs

concealed within the person are

1:00:491:00:54

successfully used across America.

The Ministry of Justice trialed one,

1:00:541:00:57

has there been an evaluation, will

we see more and could they be used

1:00:571:01:00

on a mobile basis?

As my right

honourable friend the Secretary of

1:01:001:01:08

State Stead, one of these was

trialed in Wandsworth prison. We are

1:01:081:01:11

looking at doing it across the

entire state. There has been an

1:01:111:01:16

evaluation but full body scanners

are not the only way to combat drugs

1:01:161:01:19

getting into prisons. Using

intelligence, going after organised

1:01:191:01:23

crime and working with law

enforcement also ways to deal with

1:01:231:01:26

this. We will use every measure

possible to make sure we stop the

1:01:261:01:30

flow of the academic of drugs in our

prisons.

The Minister will be aware

1:01:301:01:36

there is a covenant on the land on

the industrial park in my

1:01:361:01:41

constituency where he wants to build

a prison. It states the land should

1:01:411:01:44

not be used other than as an

industrial park and should not be

1:01:441:01:48

used for any offensive noisy,

dangerously or trade business,

1:01:481:01:53

manufacture or occupation for any

purpose or any manner that may be a

1:01:531:01:56

new city to the agency of the

occupiers of neighbouring or

1:01:561:02:00

adjacent premises. Will the Minister

agree the covenant is the final nail

1:02:001:02:03

in the coffin of the Ministry's plan

to build a prison on this industrial

1:02:031:02:08

park?

The honourable member is

incredibly persistent in fighting

1:02:081:02:14

for his constituents. Of course,

before moving ahead with any

1:02:141:02:19

building projects, we will do all

the necessary legal searches and

1:02:191:02:24

local authority searches. If those

were to turn up any objections, we

1:02:241:02:28

would take those into account

accordingly.

With the prison

1:02:281:02:33

population of over 80,000, prisons

are bursting at the seams. Yet,

1:02:331:02:37

according to the Ministry of Justice

own figures, last year we

1:02:371:02:41

transferred a pathetic 110 foreign

national prisoners to prison in

1:02:411:02:46

their own prison and this ear, the

number is 56. Surely, we can do

1:02:461:02:50

better than that?

I think the

honourable member is referring to

1:02:501:02:56

the numbers transferred under the

prisoner transfer agreement. In

1:02:561:02:59

terms of the number of prisoners

deported from this country overall,

1:02:591:03:03

last year was a record high. We

continue to work consistently with

1:03:031:03:09

foreign governments. There is an

interministerial group linking

1:03:091:03:13

differed, the Foreign Office, the

Ministry of Justice but also the

1:03:131:03:16

Home Office, to make sure we iron

out the issues that can be

1:03:161:03:21

impediment to transferring prisoners

to serve their sentence abroad. I

1:03:211:03:23

would

1:03:231:03:25

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