Live Justice Questions House of Commons

round-up at 11pm tonight in both

Houses of parliament. First,

questions to the Justice Secretary

Liz Truss.

Motion for an unopposed

return. Questions to the Secretary

of State for Justice.

I will take questions one and 17

together, the Government has made it

a top priority to ensure a smooth

legal transition both in our

negotiations and in domestic

implementation.

Can has what steps

will his department take to ensure a

review and possible reversal of ECJ

rulings that have affected British

companies and citizens once we have

left the EU?

We are taking back

control of our laws, that is what

the withdrawal built cars.

Accountable to the voters in this

House so the UK Supreme Court has

the last word. We can revise, retain

or appeal as we see fit any piece of

retained law for the British

interest.

The CD UK report

underlined the importance of the

legal sector to the UK's economy and

to the city. Whether contracts can

continue to be enforced and

respected across the European Union

have to believe?

-- after we leave.

We make we're on our position paper

that we want to maintain recognition

of contractual judgments, family law

disputes, supporting businesses and

people on all sides.

I happen talking to judges,

barristers, campaigners. They all

are terrified about what is going to

happen if we leave the European

Union to our justice system. Who is

she talking to -- who is he talking

to?

Do not engage in scaremongering.

I have told to practitioners, the

judiciary, legal groups, we have set

out our position. I would have

thought the honourable gentleman

would have welcomed that. We will

make sure we have a smooth legal

transition.

Will the Minister

confirm that it is his policy that

the Court of Human Rights were still

have jurisdiction over Britain after

we leave the EU?

We have no plans to

withdraw from that of the Strasbourg

court.

Would he agree that we had an

effective legal system before we

joined the EU and we will have for

many years after we leave?

I take

very seriously the concerns of those

who think we need to mitigate the

risks. That is what the EU

Withdrawal Bill will do. But we have

an opportunity to promote UK legal

services on a global level and

promoting the UK for international

dispute settlements. We should grasp

the opportunities and manage the

risks.

Last month, two weeks ago

while debating the withdrawal built,

it was said the UK's Court of

Justice roll to be unchanged for two

years after March 20 19th. Will the

Minister confirm to the House that

large part of the EU Withdrawal Bill

including a repeal of the European

Communities Act will not be able to

be brought into force until the end

of the implementation period?

The

position as set out in the EU

Withdrawal Bill and she will know

from Committee stage debates we will

not pre-empt or prejudge the outcome

of the negotiations. On either the

withdrawal agreement by the

implementation period.

-- or the

limitation period. Sky News reported

that after Brexit the UK which is to

stay and will remain in the EU Court

of Justice. Will the Minister

confirm that the Prime Minister's

red line of no court of justice

after Brexit is shown to be

untenable?

Second-hand reports she

is relying on. We are not going to

pre-empt the outcome of

negotiations... I hope she will

report support us in getting the

best deal.

The honourable member for

Clacton has a similar question, I

will not call him because he is not

standing. He does not wish to ask.

Elements of our civil and criminal

law go back to the Magna Carta.

Longer established any EU legal

system and one of the most robust

legal systems in the world and

Brexit holds no fear for us?

We have

a rather different system through

our common law system and variations

across the UK. I think we should

have the courage of our convictions,

confidence in our democracy and when

it comes to the judiciary, we want

to see the UK Supreme Court at the

last word on the laws of the land.

Questionable two.

-- question number

two. A post-legislative memorandum

has been alleged. We have launched a

review of the act. That will be

thorough, report by the summer

recess.

I visited Chamber of

commerce in hole. The Minister said

it cost the courts are much more

money, so many people object to

represent themselves. The president

of the court said it was a false

economy. -- first -- Hull. Would it

save taxpayers money?

I'm not sure

the evidence is there to back up the

assertions she has made. We provide

a wide range of legal help, for

example in civil and family cases.

We spent £100 million on that last

year including practical support,

telephone helplines. On 20,000

occasions last year. There is

sources of legal advice available to

them, including online.

When changes

to legal aid and family matters were

made, it was said there would be

growth in mediation but that has

dropped massively. All the evidence

indicates that is because early

legal advice is a gateway

intermediation for assistive parties

and reduces the burden of the court.

We need to be encouraging more

alternative dispute resolution. We

want to try and incentivise cases

not going to the court, trauma for

those involved. I do not think the

as it is exclusively going to be

around money, also the positive

incentives we put in place.

It is

estimated that providing early legal

help in family court cases would

cost less than £14 million. Because

as the honourable gentleman just

said many cases would be resolved

before getting to court. Why does

the Minister continue to insist that

this is not a cost-effective way of

dealing with cases was Mac does he

actually know how many cases are

proceeding with litigants in person

and how much that costs the court

system?

There is a range of support,

£100 million in terms of early legal

help. That can be both online,

telephone support, representation.

In terms of litigants in person, we

have a strategy in relation to that,

since 2015 have invested 5 million

into litigants in person strategy.

We can review this in the round

through the review.

We are a nation

of laws but we must be one nation

with access to justice for people

from all backgrounds. Does he agree

that the most careful thought should

be given after the review to

bolstering legal resources so we can

have only advice and assistance for

all?

I thank my honourable friend,

who makes a powerful point. We will

look at this. We spend £1.6 billion

on legal aid. A quarter of my

department's Budget. More resources

from elsewhere, the money must be

found. We must look carefully as

well as those issues at making sure

we have the right allocation to

support those in the greatest need.

Wasn't the founding principle of

legal aid full and free access to

justice regardless of ability to

pay? Hasn't that principle been

eviscerated with the able assistance

of Nick Clegg and his little

liberals?

Eyed EJB support for early

legal help. I have said that some of

the support for litigants in person.

We provide £1.6 billion of help as

well. Per capita, we are providing

more legal aid than any other

country in the EU.

We have heard

from the Law Society on early legal

help, the president of the Supreme

Court on early legal help. And the

Labour manifesto backs early legal

help. My honourable friend to ask

questions on this and the Minister

has said the evidence is in there. I

want to help the Minister out. Can

he showed he is not driven by

ideology and agree to Commission an

independent research into savings

for early legal help to inform the

review before next summer?

We have

the review in place and will take a

wide range of advice, set up expert

panels in order to make sure we get

the best and proper advice. He

should feel free to contribute.

Based on his proposals, £400

million, he needs to explain where

the money will come from.

With permission,

I will take

questions three and 13 together. We

are investing over £1 million to

make our justice system more

sensitive to victims and witnesses

and more accessible to average

people.

Rate is almost one year

since I met Jill stay would. She was

a tireless campaigner for victims of

rape and sexual assault and she led

the campaign which saw the end of

accused rapists cross examining

victims. Can my honourable friend

outlined what progress is being made

to extend the law to protect victims

of domestic violence during trials

in family courts?

Can I pay tribute

to the way she has championed this

issue and to Jill for her

campaigning in this area. We are

ruling out section 28 pre-recorded

cross examinations board vulnerable

witnesses in the Crown Court. That

will be rolled out initially in

Leeds and Kingston upon Thames but

there are plans for a national

roll-out and we are planning to

extend section 28 to family law

courts.

Critically, the victims,

what support is available for adult

and child rape victims after the

verdict is heard? Can he outlined

the process by which support is

offered regardless of the verdict?

In 2017 to 18 the Ministry of

Justice allocated around £7 million

as a contribution to 97 rate support

sentences across England and Wales

to provide support. We have also

allocated £68 million to police

services. That support remains

available for victims after the

conclusion of the trial as well as

before and regardless of the

verdict.

The Minister has just

mentioned that legislation outlined

in the Queen's speech relating to

this and in particular we are

concerned about domestic violence

victims and the family courts. When

will we see that legislation

introduced here on the floor of the

House?

The announcement was made in

the Queen's speech, we will be able

to say something on that shortly.

Perpetrators of domestic violence

are at present able to make abuse of

process by bringing vexatious court

actions against their victims, often

cross examining them in person in

civil and family courts. Will and

when will the Minister consider

bringing forward such legislation?

The legislation was announced in the

Queen's speech, we have a packed

Parliamentary timetable at the

moment with the EU legislation but

we are committed to this and we will

be announcing details soon.

Earlier

this year, the secretary of the two

agreed to amend the course at to

bring in crime every -- primary

legislation to outlaw the

cross-examination of victims by

domestic abuse perpetrators so the

timetable has been agreed. When will

we bring in legislation to tackle

this issue?

As I have made clear in

the macro answers, we are committed

not just to because Bill but also to

that specific reform and I look

forward to having his support and

honourable members on that side.

Number five. Number four, Mr

Speaker!

Close!

Accommodation is

important, hundreds people leave

prison without accommodation to go

to. Accommodation on relief is a key

priority in our prison reform

programme.

Given that this is on the

statute book, is the Minister aware

that privation officers can now

register as associations of

individuals and will he meet with me

and the right to build task force so

we can breathe him on how people

building their own dwellings can

transform lives and reduce

reoffending rates? -- so we can

brief him.

I would be delighted to

meet with him to listen to whatever

creative solutions he can bring to

the long-standing problem of

accommodation for offenders.

The

joint report of the chief inspectors

of prisons and probation looked

through the gate services and showed

that 10% of prisoners were homeless

on their first night out of prison.

Having a home is key to reducing

reoffending so what assessment has

the Minister made on those

reoffending rates?

The honourable

member makes an important point and

as I said in response to question

number for it is a priority. We are

looking at expanding accommodation

and support services to include low

risk offenders. We are looking at

utilising Ministry of Justice

capacity and expanding our premises

programme and working closely with

other governing departments in the

Department for Communities and Local

Government to solve this problem.

Strongly supporting him, could the

present Minister tell the House

which construction companies at this

and do offer fair opportunities to

axe offenders in the construction

sector and also tell us that those

companies need a nudge in those

areas?

My honourable friend has

pre-empted our employment strategy

which we will be announcing very

soon. He will be aware of the new

futures network, which the Justice

Secretary announced at the party

conference, which will bring

together employers and ex-offenders

in order to help create appointment

on release. The construction sector

is a key sex and he will be hearing

more from us in due course.

2015

Ministry of Justice study found that

community orders have a

substantially lower rate of

reoffending and short prison

sentences. What is the Minister

doing to reverse the sharp fall in

community sentences taking place

under his government?

We want to

reduce reoffending. The presumption

in this country is against present

and it is up to the judiciary to

sentence when they see fit. We want

to make sure there are appropriate

interventions in the community and

after some they were looking at.

The

support strategy for the government

provides support and information for

those without legal representation

for the courts.

Senior judges are

warning that there is a huge nerd

and on judges, lawyers and litigants

themselves. Will he commit to

restoring legal aid to the family

where this is serious, as Labour has

promised to do.

We have the review

that I described what can I

opportunity to point out that since

2015 we have invested £5 million

into the litigants in person support

strategy, size the source of

practical support like online and

practical support and also legal

representation.

Representing

yourself in court has been a real

issue for domestic violence victims,

restoring legal aid is welcome but

this would happen until January. The

Justice Secretary of advertising for

a second speech writer at a rate of

£70,000 so as there is cash to

spare, will he commit that a

domestic violence victims seeking

legal aid as of yesterday's

announcement will be able to claim

retrospectively under the new

criteria?

We will be laying the SI

shortly. She welcomed it beneath the

political point scoring and it will

make it easier to apply for legal

aid in those family cases where

there has been a victim of domestic

abuse but more broadly we have wider

personal support units, trained

volunteers, they give independent

assistance to people facing

proceedings in the family sphere and

beyond. There are 20 centres in 16

cities and I hope she welcomes that.

The prison service pay review body

recommendations which I accepted in

full were implemented in the October

and November pay of offices. While

it is too early to assess the effect

of this particular award, I can

report to the House that at the end

of September this year, total prison

officer numbers were up by more than

1200 full-time equivalent staff

compared with the previous 12 month

period.

Given that the league rate

amongst the prison officers in bands

three to five are still running at

10%, does the Minister not think

that it is time to offer prison

officers more than the 1.7% they

have been offered in order to retain

experienced prison staff and heave

our prisons save?

For those prisons

mostly in London and the south-east

of England which are experiencing

particular challenging over

recruitment and retention, we are

offering additional support and

resources. But I would have hoped

the honourable lady would welcome

the significant increase in prison

officer numbers over the last year.

The prison officer pay

recommendations were implemented in

full and prison officers received a

pay increase that amount of two... A

pay rise of 1.7% in terms of the

total bill. That is more than was

awarded to other public sector

workers.

What assessment has the

Minister made in terms of the terms

and conditions that prison officers

worked under and their pay scales in

relation to the morale that prison

officers have now compared to five

years ago?

Prison officers certainly

are working under very challenging

conditions, not least because of the

way in which organised crime is

promoting traffic in psychoactive

substances across prison walls but

we believe not just the increase in

numbers but the shift in forthcoming

months to the new offender

management model where each officer

takes responsibility for about half

a dozen named offenders will

contribute to an increase in morale.

One in four prisons have had a

reduction in the number of prison

officers over the last year,

including in a court of prisons the

government labels as being of

concern so given the government's

so-called recruitment drive, can the

Secretary of State guarantee today

that no prison apart from those

planned for closure will have fewer

staff at the end of this year than

they did at the beginning of this

year?

As I said in response to the

last question we are implementing

the new offender management model

throughout the system that will

reduce the pressure on individual

prison officers. Where a particular

prison has difficulties that are

greater than average in recruiting

and retaining staff, then we will

continue to put in extra resource

and support to help them.

Seven,

please.

I would like to group this

with question number 14. There is

strong evidence of physical ever day

should and sport improving the

well-being and motivation of those

in custody and ex-offenders in the

community. Both improve their

prospects.

Team sports promote the

value of hard work, accountability

and teamwork. Does the Minister

agree these eyes that we the values

that we should seek to instil in

offenders and particularly our young

offenders to cut the risk of

reoffending and give them a better

chance of life after release?

I do

and I would hope that every member

of this House would agree with that.

I have commissioned a professor at

Royal Holloway to compile a report

on the impact of tort for offenders

in custody in the community so I can

get a complete picture of positive

benefits as I look forward to her

report being published in the New

Year.

What is the purpose of prison,

punishment of rehabilitation? The

purpose of prison

is to play its

part in reducing crime. That's the

fundamental challenge that our

department and the Home Office face.

I believe that sports clubs in

particular, like Felton young

offenders Institute, has a low

reoffending rate which compares

favourably to the overall rate.

I

wonder whether the Minister would

agree that arts and crafts can also

play a part in rehabilitation of

offenders, I am particularly

thinking of Hull prison, where they

staged a production of Jason during

the City of Culture celebrations and

I just want to say that it should be

captain Hull to recognise what the

prisoners have done.

The point she

has raised

is at best and gents

gently related -- is tangentially

related to the question, one might

say in the same way that Hull is

related to York but let's here the

Minister and see if he is dextrous.

I would agree that it isn't

exclusively export that can make an

impact. I visited cook and would and

overwhelmed I was by the quality of

the art work undertaken there.

HMV

Nottingham, prisoner rehabilitation

continues to be a concern after five

people died in a short period. --

HMV Nottingham -- HMP.

When will I

receive my letter? The honourable

gentleman should write to me that is

not a young offenders Institute.

In

April, governors were given

authority to devise the daily

routine in prison, how they organise

staff and the health service

received by prisoners. In October,

governors gain control of a family

services Budget, and is next year

and libraries Budget...

Does my

right honourable friend agree that

governors know there prison is best

in terms of the core regime,

training our Best evolved into local

hands from Government?

I think it is

important that ministers and

officials in the prison service

trust the professionalism of

governors in charge of individual

establishments. That is why as

national contracts for particular

services expire, for example on

maintenance, repairs and food

procurement, we will look for

opportunities to default.

One of his

reformed prisons has been reported

by the Chief Inspector of prisons, I

quote from the Times, trailblazing

but deteriorated over the last 12

months. Who is responsible, the

governor, the head of the civil

service, or the Lord Chancellor?

Ultimately, I am responsible for the

department. And for the services

provided by the Department. As is

the case with every inspection

report, the prison service will be

taking action to remedy the issues,

problems pointed out by the Chief

Inspector. Those have already

included the installation they are

of a new scanner to detect drugs.

Number nine. Organised criminals

smuggling drugs are a major threat

to stability and safety of our

prisons. We are taking decisive

steps working with law enforcement

agencies to identify individuals

involved.

What more can be done to

harness the power of intelligence,

to track drones not only to stop

them coming into prisons, but find

the criminals using them to disrupt

our prison system.

It is important

to stop not just contraband coming

into prisons but the organised crime

networks behind it. The specialist

staff in our regional and national

intelligence teams are transforming

how we work with the police. On

drones in particular we have

launched operation Trenton,

intercepting drugs and tracking down

criminals behind them. There have

been 17 convictions relating to drug

activity, perpetrators serving in

prison.

Illicit phones erode the

barrier that prison walls used to

place between prisoners and the

committee. They can harass victims

and assist in the trade of

contraband. We are working with law

enforcement to identify the network

surprising -- providing loans and

other items to prison. 323 items

were recovered in an operation

including mobile phones and a large

quantity of drugs.

Should we be

constantly alert, does he agree, to

technology that can disrupt the use

of mobile phones in prisons and will

be welcome the Private Members' Bill

which received its second reading

last week which will help block

mobile phone signals around prisons

from the Member for Lewes?

Consequence of illicit items is

violence and instability to resumes.

The way to counter this threat, is

through technology. The honourable

member for Lewes' by the Member's

Bill which the Government Acts will

give us more power to switch off

mobile phones in prison and you with

the scourge that these present. --

deal with the scourge.

In addition

to strengthening the final time by

posting prisoner of rumours --

prison officer numbers we are

launching operations with drug

enforcement agencies to target

phones that drive crime. Body worn

cameras are borne by prison staff

and are working to prosecute

prisoners who assault officers.

On a visit to Rochester prison I

heard perceptions of prison officer

safety were hurting recruitment.

What is he doing to support the

recruitment?

We are meeting with

considerable success in feeling the

2500 additional prison officer

places that my predecessor the right

honourable member for... Negotiated.

We are also developing a graduate

entry scheme for prison officers.

And working with the Armed Forces so

that the service leave scheme takes

proper account of opportunities in

the prison service.

An important

point has been made about the

perception of safety can prevent

recruitment and retention in the

prison service. Can we have an

update on the Government buys back

workforce strategy for all

Government sector staff. And

committed a two involving all trades

union stakeholders in the strategy?

We are continuing to discuss in

Government how we might look at

changes, reforms to the way in which

both prison and probation workforce

are structured. Irrespective, we are

proceeding with measures to give

additional support to prison

governors and officers by boosting

regional management teams and trying

to ensure that professional

development is taken seriously at

all ranks.

The reality of life in

our prisons is one of inexperienced

prison officers dealing with more

violence and dangerous situations on

a daily basis which is a result of

the cuts of 7000 prison officers

which they have now slammed into

reverse to recruit 2500 add

announced. The prison officers

visiting with the lobby, will he

meet with them?

The Prisons Minister

and I meet with the representatives

of the prisoners Association --

Prison Officers Association.

Wherever we visit prisons, we talk

to staff and listen to their

concerns. As well as recruiting

additional officers as promised we

need to ensure that anybody who

attacked a prison officer where

there is good evidence available is

properly prosecuted. That is what

ought to happen and I hope that the

police and CPS work with us.

We are

investing over £1 billion between

2016 and 2020 to support local areas

developing multi-agency approaches

to female offenders and developing a

strategy for female offenders to

improve outcomes for women in the

community and custody.

There is a fantastic job in my

constituency helping women

offenders. What are key and the

Government doing to help women

across the country prepared to make

a fresh start up on leaving prison?

I look forward to visit southern

Park, which has a good record with

national and local employers, this

is the type of relationship we want

to develop and spread throughout the

country because we know if people

have a job on leaving prison they

are less likely to reoffend.

It is

ten years since the Corston report.

Can the Secretary of State and the

Minister update us on what they are

doing to meet the 43

recommendations?

The report was the

first document I read when I was

made minister in July 2016, it is a

good document. Since then, I have

worked tirelessly along with

officials to develop a strategy

which goes some way to meet the

challenges set by the Baroness. I

met with the funding group to

discuss our proposals we are going

to bring forward.

Given female

offenders are more likely than male

offenders to have care and

responsibilities for children, what

role does the Minister Stein prison

governor should place on retaining

and strengthening family ties?

In my

travels around the country, every

governor I have met of a women's

prison as and knows the importance

of maintaining good links with

family, going back to the strategy

we have got this in our minds when

it comes to developing a future

infrastructure where we hold women

as close as possible to their

families if they have to be locked

up.

What action is the Government

taking to reduce the incidence of

breach and recall leading to an

increase in the women's prison

population?

We are aware of the

challenges around recall and some of

this is to do with women go out into

the community and go to the same

situation they found themselves in

before going to prison. It is

something being considered in depth

was that our approach to it will be

part of our strategy.

The Minister

will no a disproportionate number of

women are sentenced to short

sentences. He probably shares the

view from his previous statement

that these are not effective in

breaking the cycle of reoffending.

With the Government think seriously

about adopting the Scottish system

whereby short sentences have to be

actively justified by the Court

before they are passed?

We already

do have a presumption against

custody in our system in England. I

do acknowledge that Scotland is

embarking upon an exciting path with

regard to how it manages its women's

offenders which is why I am going

there on Thursday. -- women

offenders.

Giving half the prisoners

are there for a few weeks, could

there be less victims of crime if we

invested in women's centres rather

than sending nonviolent women into

prisons?

What is striking when you

go to prison and meet prisoners is

quite a lot of them happen victims

themselves. The strategy will try to

do with that by the way in which we

handle and manage women when they

have committed offences.

Looking at

ways to make inquest more sensitive

to the needs of bereaved families.

The Lord Chancellor will update the

guidance on exceptional case funding

by the end of the year and this is

part of the wider...

I raise the case of the Shoreham

Airshow crash with the Prime

Minister were the legal aid agency

has refused exceptional case funding

to the families of the victims. Can

it be right that the families of the

victims of the largest civilian loss

of life since 7-7 as it was at the

time... Not least when there is a

wider public interest with over 2

million people who attends civilian

air next year?

My deepest sympathies

go to the victims of the Shoreham

Airshow disaster. He knows I cannot

comment on individual decisions but

I can say we have protected early

legal advice within the scope of

legal aid. There is an opportunity

to look at this more broadly as part

of the review. It was granted in

over half of cases where inquest

applications were made last year.

We are clear that restraint should

only be used where absolutely

necessary and where no other form of

intervention is possible or

appropriate. The number of incidents

where restraint was used reduced 11%

from March 20 15th of March 20 16.

In September I asked why the

Ministry of Justice's approved

methods of restraining children can

actually chilled children or the

then disabled. I have since received

a letter from the undersecretary

stating that limited circumstances

pain in choosing techniques may be

necessary. Regarding children and

this care of the state, pain should

not be used, so what is that the is

the government's position on this?

The restraint techniques that are

used were developed in consultation

with a medical panel and adviser. I

must emphasise that we are dealing

with quite violent individuals

sometimes, the violence levels are

ten times that in the adult state

and there are decisions sometimes

made, however difficult, to protect

the individual concerned, other

children in the unit and staff.

Is

she continues to chunter at evident

disapproval but she can apply and

dilate on these matters that rate at

length and will be a satisfaction to

her and possibly the others.

With

the mission I should like to answer

this question together with westerns

20 and 24. We are investing £1

billion in the modernisation of our

courts and tribunal service. This

summer we launched the first pilot

of the online court covering

divorce, Social Security and civil

money claims. I visited the

Manchester civil justice centre and

saw some of this work first hand.

He

hadn't asked my agreement but I am

happy to provide it. Presumably the

request was made to my office on

account of the expectation we would

not get this far but ministers ought

to know better by now, we tend to

make quite quick progress. We will

take those who are here and at least

one is not. Mr Davis Morris.

Part of

the problem of the court system to

the layperson is they do not

understand the court jargon. Would

he look deeply into how we can

improve the communications so that

the ordinary man on the street can

understand proceedings.

I apologise

if there was a mess up implications

to your office. In response to my

honourable friend, one of the things

that is really important as we test

and pilot these online court

proposals is that we ensure that

they, the process, is stripped of

legal jargon so that our

constituents, men and women who have

no particular knowledge or

experience of the technicalities of

law, are able easily to understand,

follow and ease the process.

As

co-chair of your all-party

Parliamentary group on legal

education I was wondering if he has

made any assessment on how the

online process will save many people

going to Small Claims Court the

stress and hassle that they don't

need when all they are trying to do

is solve a simple money claims.

Certainly my own view having tried

out the small money claims process

is that it provides a very

user-friendly way of a consumer

seeking redress from somebody

against whom they have a claim. So

far more than three thousand people

have used the pilots I have

described and they have got

straightforward digital access to

our courts.

I would call Mr courts

to ask about courts if he was here

and given the likely affinity he

would feel to the subject but he is

not and therefore I cannot. Mr

McMahon.

I wrote to the government

in October asking for the impact of

the closure of the older

Magistrates' Court and County Court

but they say they don't collect the

data nonattendance. How on earth can

the government know about the impact

of closures if it doesn't collect

that data -- the closure of the

Oldham magistrate and County Court.

When a proposal is made to close any

court there is a public consultation

that enables representations to be

made and evidence to be looked at

seriously and such a consultation is

always accompanied by an analysis of

travel times both by car and by

public transport for people who use

the Court centre scheduled for

closure to attend the proposed

alternative so these things are

considered in detail.

In the context

of court modernisation can I ask the

Secretary of State to look at making

the courts more transparent,

particularly allowing defendants and

those who have been sentenced to get

transcripts and copies of the

Judge's direction to the jury

because in cases of potential

miscarriages of justice this can be

difficult information to get.

I

would like to reflect on the serious

points that the honourable lady has

made. Of course the conduct of a

trial in the court is a matter for

the trial judge but I will look

seriously and write to her when I

have had a chance to take advice on

the matter.

Topical questions. Mike

Amesbury.

Number one.

Since the last

justice questions I have introduced

a new version notification process

which allows the Chief Inspector of

prisons to publicly and formally

notify me as secretary of the where

he judges that urgent action is

required. This new procedure will

require a joint response from the

prison and probation service and my

department to ensure that decisive

action is taken to address immediate

concerns and we will demonstrate our

commitment to transparency by

publishing both the Chief

Inspector's notification letter and

my response within 28 days.

I'm sure

the secretary of will join me in

condemning the shocking attack on a

PC cell in my constituency, who was

reportedly deliberately lurid --

attacked with a knife. What can we

do to make sure our justice system

reflects the gravity of such crimes?

I'm sure he would appreciate for me

to comment on individual case would

be wrong when it is a matter of

investigation and trial. But in

general terms the government is

committed to ensuring that the law

protects those dedicated

professional public servants,

including PCS owes, who do their

utmost to keep us safe. That is why

the government is supporting the ill

brought forward by his honourable

friend in order to give such

protection.

Could he tell me what he

thinks can be done to make sure that

community sentences are not just

robust and effective but are seen as

such.

P is absolutely right, we have

a range of community sentence

options. They are a bust, they can

include the whole range from

underpaid work and her views to

rehab programmes, mental health

treatments, substance misuse

problems. We are working with

judges, magistrates and privation

services to make sure they are

operationally as strong as they can

be and command public confidence.

I

have repeatedly asked the Secretary

of State how many staff have been

axed the inspiration was privatised

and I have been repeatedly refused

an answer but there is now being

reported in the press that there is

a 20% cut in the number of

operations staff in the privatised

community rehabilitation companies

between 2015 and 2016. Can the

Secretary of State confirm that the

RC 's our staff have been cut by one

fifth?

It is for individual

committee revalidation companies to

take decisions about the staff that

they need and what kind of staff

they need to deliver on their

contractual obligations to the

government. The government's

responsibility is. International

privation service and we are

recruiting additional staff.

Given

that a rise in fraudulent claims can

push up the cost of insurance for

all, what assessment has the

Minister made of the level of

holiday sickness insurance claims

and the impact of false claims on

the cost for honest holiday-makers.

She raises a good point. The

Association of British travel agents

reported a sixfold increase in

gastric illness claims against tour

operators between 2013 and 2016 but

reports in the resorts were

declining. Operators paid out

hundreds of millions and that

heights the cost for holiday-makers.

We are calling for evidence to fit

the costs to help hard earned

holiday-makers.

The present system

is failing women and young people.

It needs a different approach based

on the community and amenity

services rather than simply

imprisonment. What will the

secretary of the deed to help ensure

education and rehabilitation and not

punishment and not prisons?

I was in

Cardiff last Thursday and I met with

the Pathfinder team who work with

women offenders in the community and

in custody and I was impressed with

the work they do and I went onto the

youth offending establishment and

was impressed by that visit. Both

approaches in terms of use and

women, we think if we can keep

people out of custody we will but if

they need to be in custody we will

make that decision.

Can he advise me

what steps are being taken to reduce

reoffending levels for young people

in the West Midlands including my

constituency?

The current rate of

reoffending in the youth population

is way too high. I have taken

measures to address this. Part of

that has been investing £64 million

in the youth custody reform

programme, which includes special

training for staff.

Does the Justice

Secretary not share my concern that

handing over power is on court fine

collection to private bailiffs will

place the safety and finances of

vulnerable people at risk from rogue

operators?

No, we are making sure we

have a robust and rigorous

regulation in place but the most

important thing is to make sure

pressures taxpayer's money is put to

best use and debts are recovered.

Is

the Secretary of State aware that

there is still a very serious

illegal drugs problem in Norwich

prison? Many ministers talk about

creating a drugs free prison. When

all this become a reality in

Norfolk? I would like the secretary

of the two answer, by the way,

please.

Norwich, like all prisons in

the system, is being challenged by

new psychoactive substances, which

are causing real behavioural

problems and add to potential

progression on the part of prisoners

and are being actively promoted by

organised crime was we are

addressing this by the provision of

improved health and detoxification

methods within prisons but also by

active intelligence work to disrupt

the supply of drugs into prisons

because it's rolling up those supply

chains which gives us a real

opportunity to crackdown on drugs.

The on-board gentlemen, I say this

for the benefit of new members, is

an old hand and a wily fellow and he

knows how to get what he wants. One

of his ancestors might have bumped

off a Prime Minister but the

honourable gentleman cannot be held

responsible for the behaviour of his

distant ancestor.

We all know too

many women are being given short

custodial sentences for minor crimes

when in reality we -- rehabilitation

through women's centres would be

more productive. Are there plans for

a women's prison in Wales or even

worse, a female offender unit as an

annex to the male prison? But there

should be plans for women's centres

in Wales.

I can confirm that no

decision has been made to beat a

female prison in Wales. -- no

decision has been made to build a

female prison in Wales. We are

focused on what we can do in the

community to help women because I

understand and recognise that sure

that thing is not delivering the

goods and I also reckon nice that a

number of women are victims

themselves. Ultimately the women's

justice date is about security for

the wider public to keep people who

have done things wrong away from

them that all the about reducing

crime long-term by working with the

women concerned.

Time at last to the

here the voice of Clacton.

Does the

Minister agree it is in the interest

of the European 27 nations as it is

to my constituents in Clacton and

the whole of the UK for a seamless

continuation of civil corporation

between us to provide companies,

individuals and families with

confidence that judgment scanned and

will be enforced across borders and

can he update me on what is being

done to secure that Corporation.

The sleek and German debate until I

realised he had just conducted it.

-- he had sought an adjournment

debate with families and tens of

thousands of ...

Ecole brands of and

ambitious civil Justice cooperation

agreement with the bank

last week, I visited Medway STC

which was subject to a panorama

report.

The centre is improving

under new ownership. Many STCs and

children's secure homes remain in

private hands. Will the Government

committed to reversing the

privatisation system?

This

adjournment debate fetish is

catching, I think.

If one looks back

at inspection reports over the

years, one can see examples of both

good practice and poor practice at

both state run and privately

operated prisons and secure training

centres. There are good reports for

example on how GeForce S has

operated HMP Park both for young and

adult offenders. I urge my

honourable friend to take this up

firmly with the companies concerned.

How can the Minister ensure this

policy will be promoted across the

board to make sure reoffending is

reduced? I would be happy for the

Prisons Minister to answer.

The

review is important in highlighting

the importance of family connections

in preventing self harm in prisons

but turning around lives also. We

have accepted all the

recommendations are implementing

them and I will update the

honourable member personally.

You

will know that goes and vulnerable

women were subject to horrendous

abuse and rape by a sexual

expectation gang in Newcastle. Some

of the perpetrators were recently

convicted as part of operation

Sanctuary. Victims, some, feel they

have not just is. At least one has

been denied compensation for

horrific abuse because of time spent

in juvenile detention. As a

consequence of that abuse. Does the

Minister think that is just and if

not we'll keep amend the criminal

injuries compensation scheme to

ensure justice?

I recently met with

the chief Executive and was

convinced they have systems in place

to deal appropriately with all

cases. If there is a particular case

of concern to the honourable lady,

write to me and I will respond.

Repeated failures in facilities

management contracts have discovered

every time the Minister visits

prison, un-repaired showers is the

latest example. Will there be an

urgent review of the restoration of

these contracts, appropriate

penalties and speeding up the

required work?

It is a good point.

When an inspector or his committee

for that matter draws attention to

problems of this kind is, we

certainly take that up very firmly

with the contract are concerned. I

am keen that we learn and apply

lessons about how previous contracts

were negotiated to ensure we get

better performance in the future.

It

was confirmed in the Budget that

there would be 40% cuts, more than

any department. We have seen

reduction in judges and others.

Mr

Speaker, the figures that were

issued at the same time as the

Budget simply repeated those that

featured in the current public

expenditure, so no change there.

Within our Budget, we are investing

£1 billion in modernisation of the

courts and recruiting 2500

additional prison officers.

I

thought we had signed up to the all

singing, all dancing EU prisoner

transfer director. Why do we still

have 42% of the 10,000 foreign

nationals in our prisons from EU

countries? Why don't we send them

back from where they came?

Again, I

think he asked the same question as

the last justice... Even with

prisoner transfer agreement it is

down to the receiving country to

receive the prisoners, we cannot

have -- we cannot force them. 40,000

prisoners have been sent back home

since 2010 under the early removal

scheme.

Repetition is not a novel

phenomenon in the House of Commons.

I have been approached by a

constituent who is vulnerable

daughter who was raped -- whose

vulnerable daughter was raped by a

male under the age of 18. The

sentence does not give regard to the

suffering of the victim, so will he

visits with me to the victim?

The

anguish of the family in these types

of cases and the victim, the

sentences are set by the sentencing

council and not the MoJ. He might

wish to take a look at the new

developments from June.

In my

constituency we have a high level of

road traffic incidences. I have

campaigned for increased sentences

for dangerous driving.

We considered extensively on this

and bearing in mind the seriousness

of the worst offences and the

anguish of the families we set out

proposals to increase the maximum

sentence for dangerous driving to

life imprisonment and that is the

reality for those engaging.

My

constituents Mr and Mrs fleeting

last brave son Robert in a

non-combat death when he was serving

our forces in an English -based.

There could not be closure because

there was no inquest. After a

positive initial meeting with the

Minister, there has been no follow

up and this is compounding Mr and

Mrs Fleeting person aggrieved. --

the grief is compounded.

We would

need to understand all the detail

before making a public comment.

Order. It flows directly from

questions, I believe. If it is dealt

with very briefly.

You will be aware

of my campaign to introduce Helen

pot law. On the 14th of September I

wrote to the Justice Secretary

asking to meet with Helen passed my

mother and the victim's family.

Having not received a reply I took

him to parliamentary questions to

ask when it was likely to come. The

correspondence was said to have been

sent to my office but I have found

Nonesuch had been received and

having contacted the MoJ it

transpired none had been sent

because we were still waiting...

What does it say about the

Government buys like attitudes to

boards -- the Government's attitude

towards victims' families.

It is a

very important matter but it does

not flow