Live Justice Questions House of Commons

Welcome to live coverage of the

House of Commons. Peter Grant has

table done a depression on the

government get an decision not to

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It would give the Murdoch family too

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restructure bill. Dujon me had 11

Koto for a round-up but first

questions to the Justice Secretary.

The Secretary of State for Justice.

With your promotion, I'd like to

read questions one, four and 13. The

government has made it a priority to

ensure there is a smooth legal

transition in our negotiations with

the EU or our domestic implementing

legislation. Scotland and Northern

Ireland have distinct legal systems

and my department has been working

closely with the devolved

administrations, looking at the ways

that are legal in justice system are

affected by the EU exit. The

government declared a good deal for

the EU is one that works for all

parts of

I welcome the Secretary of State's

position. The UK Government have

been dismissed as unsatisfactory due

to the lack of realism and detail.

How does the Secretary of State in

ten to respond to that by producing

more realistic and detailed

proposals.

But a volcanic than the

honourable gentleman for his words

and is pleasing to know wherever I

go, he seems to follow me around. In

terms of his question, we are

ambitious in this area and we want

to get the best deal. I appreciate

the course of negotiations, our

interlocutors might express an

adverse opinion but we will continue

to engage and continue to be

ambitious.

Scotland's distinct and

independent legal system, and

Scotland there is direct cooperation

between Scottish law enforcement

agencies and their European

counterparts. Can the Minister

detail what consultation his

department are having with the

Scottish Government and Scottish law

officers in this regard?

We continue

to engage with the Scottish

Government across-the-board,

including this particular

implementation matter.

I wonder if

the Minister could update the House

on plans for foreign criminals in UK

prisons and if we can send these

people back to their country of

origin rather than the taxpayer

footing the bill? Since 2010 we have

removed more than 40,000 for a

National offenders from our prisons.

Immigration removal centres and the

community, a range of removal

mechanisms exist which are unable

for offenders to return to their

home countries. The government is

now considering future criminal

justice arrangements with the

European Union with him carrying on

our close working relationships.

The

Secretary of State will be aware

that in relation to family law,

mutual and reciprocal arrangements

exist between the EU countries to

ensure their judgments are

recognised. Can he say how after the

exit from the European Union, he

envisages how the interests of

children are protected when we

cannot rely on the mutual

arrangements?

What I would say is that she raises

a good point and it's important that

we do have satisfactory arrangements

with the European Union in this and

indeed other matters. It is right

that we seek to be ambitious so that

the interests of children are put at

the heart of what we do here.

May I

welcome my right honourable friend's

posting and delighted to see a

lawyer and I hope he has a lengthy

tenure, if not quite as long as the

last boy from Ipswich and a better

ending as well. A lot of the debate

has concentrated around criminal

justice cooperation matters. In his

speech once warning, the Lord

Chancellor referred to the importers

of the UK as a jurisdiction of

choice in civil and commercial

litigation. Will he make sure that

aspect is not lost on our

negotiations, in particular the

importance for the UK's financial

service sector.

Can I thank my

honourable friend given that the

last Lord Chancellor was Cardinal

Wolsey, given that he ran into some

difficulties with negotiations with

the powerful European supranational

body, I should tread carefully here.

I think it is important that in

terms of our negotiations we try to

provide that legal certainty as best

as we can.

May I welcome the new Secretary of

State for Justice to his place. On

the issue of the Scottish legal

system, Sir David Edward, our

distinguished former judge both in

Scotland and that the courts of

justice, he said that so far, the

unity government has overlooked the

significance of the separate

Scottish legal system, the Scottish

judicial system and the Scottish

prosecution system in relation to

justice and home affairs issues in

the negotiations with the EU. Will

the new Secretary of State undertake

to meet with me so we can discuss

and these oversights might be

rectified in future?

I'm not sure I

would accept her characterisation of

the position as one of oversight and

I would make it clear in the very

first answer I gave in this role in

these questions, I stated I fully

appreciate that Scotland has a

distinct legal system but I would be

delighted to discuss this matter

with her further.

I'm grateful to

the Secretary of State for agreeing

to meet with me but this is not my

characterisation, is the

characterisation of a senior judge,

both of the Scottish courts and the

Court of Justice and he went on to

describe the UK Government's paper

on enforcement and dispute

resolution as, and I caught, an

undergraduate essay which would have

failed. He says those writing these

papers are not aware of the problems

posed the separate source Scottish

legal system and don't want to hear

from the experts who have offered to

help. This is a serious problem.

Will the Secretary of State, in his

new role, Undertaker listen to those

who know about the Scottish legal

system and to take on board their

concerns in his negotiations on this

matter?

I want to ensure that we end

up with a position that's good for

the legal system, good for legal

services in every part of the United

Kingdom, that set includes Scotland

and I will want to engage with

representations and representatives

from all parts of the United Kingdom

to ensure we get the best possible

deal.

Can we do what we cannot do

now? If an EU National is found

guilty of an imprisonable offence,

they are deported to serve that

sentence in prison their own country

and banned from ever returning?

As I

said to our honourable friend, the

member for Mansfield, we are

considering future criminal justice

arrangements with the European

Union, we do want close working

relationships with them but we also

need to work together to ensure that

foreign national offenders can be

removed when possible.

I will begin

by paying tribute to my honourable

friend for the work that he has done

on the Homelessness Reduction Act.

With the agreement of colleagues

from the housing communities and

local government, it should come

into operation in April. It is

absolutely vital that every prisoner

leaving custody as a home to go to.

I think my honourable friend and

welcomed into his new position as he

quite rightly says, it is in our

best interests that former offenders

leaving prison do not reoffend and

one of the key issues is to ensure

that present governors on other

commitments under the Homelessness

Reduction Act to make sure people

are prepared for life outside

prison. What action will you take to

make sure that prison governors

train offenders that are due to

leave prison so they do not

reoffend.

There are two key things

to do. One is to empower the

governors to give them the real

flexibility and control over their

education budgets and the career

advice but also, as the honourable

member suggested, connect back to

housing. That's an obligation under

the anguish my honourable friend has

championed and getting that

coordination will be essential.

Why

has the number of women homeless on

release doubled in only a year? Is

this more evidence of the government

failing prisoners and probation

policies?

There are a number of

very, those issues ahead of us but

we agree this is unacceptable and

shocking and we have to work much

more closely with the Ministry of

Housing and local authorities and

the prisoners to ensure we cut these

numbers.

The provision of legal aid to

support the most vulnerable is a

very important part of our justice

system. We spent £1.6 billion a year

on legal aid, which is over a fifth

of the Ministry of Justice's budget.

In terms of accessing legal aid, an

online tool to help people check

their entitlement to legal aid.

I welcome that answer but people in

West Cornwall in my constituency

find it hard to access the legal aid

they are entitled to. There is just

one office that holds a legal aid

contract and the only deal with

family law. Will the Department

accept changes in legal aid funding

to local people and consider message

measures to fix this. The legal aid

agency regularly refuse the capacity

of legal aid to cope with the demand

for legal aid and it takes action

for a regional shortfalls develop.

Those in need of urgent advice in

Cornwall and elsewhere can use this

civil legal aid specialist telephone

service.

In autumn 2017, the legal

aid agency began a new tendering

service nationally for new civil

contracts to start in autumn 2018.

In my constituency, I receive

hundreds of the Muslim people facing

eviction living in overcrowded

conditions are renting properties

that are in dire need of repair.

Does the Minister agree that early

legal advice and housing matters

needs to be urgently restored and it

is unacceptable that large parts of

the country have no housing legal

aid providers at all.

There is a

review in relation to legal aid,

which the previous Lord Chancellor

committed to later on this year,

which I also commit to reviewing

later on this year.

Cheers by legally the housing is

always available through a telephone

in Gateway. That can always be

accessed.

Judicial reviews are key

tools for ordinary people to

challenge an unjust and unlawful

division by the state and other

public bodies. Deep cuts for legal

aid have undermined his ability.

As I have already mentioned, there

is a review in relation to legal

aid, which is taking place later on

this year. As a matter of principle,

legal aid is available for judicial

review in certain circumstances, and

when certain conditions are met.

The

findings in the recent inspection,

repeated that the Security centre

conditions are completely

unacceptable, and we take urgent

action to address the concerns

raised by Ofsted. There has been

further investigation to investigate

Ofsted's findings.

The young people

held in the centre often have very

complex and challenging needs. That

require considerable intervention to

help rehabilitation. When can we

have to see some tangible

improvement in intervention that

they received?

My honourable friend

is spot on. These are vulnerable

children, and they require the very

best care, particularly around their

mental health. In negotiations with

the main contractor, I'm roll out

absolutely nothing, if those

contract obligations are not being

met.

The supplementary questions

need to be focused specifically on

the training centre in Milton

Keynes.

Has the Minister taken any

view on reducing the financial

arrangements with GE for as -- G4S,

and what does it take to lose a

contract?

As my honourable friend

would acknowledge, a previous

minister on tarmac responsible for

this institution, the contract is

subject to a series of obligations.

The contract was signed in 2004, and

last the 25 years. I am fully aware

of the need to improve standards,

and rule nothing out. I have already

met with the very senior people at

G4S, in order to point that out.

They were found last year to have

made use of high level of force.

But, it is not the only private

security level found to have used

high levels of force against a

vulnerable group. Is the Minister

concerned that profit is being put

before prisoner safety?

With

reference to this facility, the

children held there can sometimes be

extremely challenging, and the staff

have to be able to control them, not

just to protect themselves, but to

protect other children and staff.

With reference to the prison report,

it is not acceptable. We have

already engaged with this over

particularly strip searching, and I

expect improvement.

It is critical

that the voice of the victim is

heard any criminal justice system.

They need to bring to be caught or

board how the crime has accepted

them. Under the code, all victims

are entitled to a needs assessment.

I am very grateful to the Secretary

of State for that answer. I know

from the family of my own

consistency, that making a

particular impact statement, is a

very stressful and nerve-racking

experience. So, what steps is he

taking, to ensure that in those

situations, the victim is the

priority, rather than the offender?

Can I thank my honourable friend for

his question. It is a situation he

has raised with us before. We are

committed to making sure that

practical and emotional support is

in place of victims throughout

becoming just as rosettes, such as

providing independent, sexual and

domestic violence advisers. --

violence advisers.

Stephen Mullins was 12 years old

when he was abducted, and brutally

murdered on his way home. The family

feel extremely let down by the

parole board who have lost their

letters, ignored their letters, and

then left so many of their questions

unanswered. It appears that a

worrying pattern is emerging here.

Will the Minister help me give them

some of the answer is that they

deserve.

Well, first of all, can I

express my sympathy with Mr and Mrs

Mullins, for the most horrendous

situation that they have

experienced. In terms of victim

support, in the context of another

case we need to make sure sure that

we look again in terms of how that

process works in that particular

case, yes of course, I would be

willing to meet the honourable

member and Mr and Mrs Mullins.

Into thousand nine, there was a

fabricated witness statement. Since

then, his efforts to seek the help

of the courts have been frustrated

by a cover up which I believe

reaches right to the top. Will my

honourable friend beat except a

meeting with me to discuss the

issues concerning this at his

earliest convenience?

I thank my

right honourable friend for his

question. I will of course be happy

to meet him. I am not in a position

of calls to comment on this

particular case, but I will be, of

course, willing to gauge with him.

Thank you Mr Speaker, I would like

to welcome the Secretary of State to

his post. Victims must be at the

heart of our justice system, but we

have seen failings, we have seen the

police failing victims, and victims

are asking why there are no further

prosecutions. In fact, victims feel

let down throughout this process. So

Mr Speaker, I will ask the Secretary

of State once again, to support

victims and help restore their

faith, and will he'd agreed today to

an independent end to end review

into the whole handling of this

case?

In terms of victims, as I

announced to the House on Friday,

there has been a fact-finding review

agreed for the Warboys case. I am

aware of conflicting evidence on

that point. So, it is important that

we pursue that. I quite understand

why the honourable gentleman suggest

an end to end review. Indeed, there

are questions which you need to be

considered in terms of what happened

in 2008 and 2009 but as I said

before, at the moment I want to

focus on the immediate questions in

front of us, in terms of support the

victims and the parole board.

John

Worboys... Will my right honourable

friend prosciutto and asked that he

will do everything with -- will my

right honourable friend reassure us

that he will do everything in his

power.

If I could say to my

honourable friend, who has been

tireless on this matter, in recent

weeks, is that when it comes to

precise positions, those up

operational matters that are decided

on an operational. But, let me

reassure him, that's nearly a

thought might -- fortnight ago, I

wrote to the... And, ensuring that

the most stringent measures are

taking place in terms of the

conditions.

Thank you Mr Speaker. I

visited Liverpool prison yesterday,

and the inspectors' report was

genuinely disturbing and it is of

course reflected on the ground.

There are some very good prison

officers working there, but

unfortunately, the conditions in

terms of basic sanitation, piles of

garbage was really shocking. We have

got a new Government in place --

governor in place, so that we can

begin a proper refurbishment and

maintenance programme, but most

importantly, we cannot let this

happen again.

Thank you Mr Speaker.

These appalling conditions did not

happen overnight. Who will be held

to account locally and nationally,

for failing to implement each of the

many critical report about the

prison, and how in 20 century

Britain, this is allowed to happen.

Lack of adequate health care meant

that slice were lost. What

happened...

These are very important

questions, which we will look at

very closely. We published an action

plan on Liverpool prison. There are

two MAC key things we have got to

do. One is about leadership. The

governor has now been replaced by a

new governor. In future, if anything

like this happens, within 28 days,

we'll be forced to apply. That is

only the beginning, this requires a

complete change in culture that

focuses on getting back to basics,

clean the prison, and making sure

that health care provision is in

place.

Can I congratulate my

honourable friend on his new role,

the whole house knows his passion

for prison policy, but will he hold

those individuals to account who

allowed these appalling conditions

in this prison?

This is a big

question of management. We have got

to balance the fact that there are a

lot of hard-working people who take

their jobs very seriously and work

very long hours. But, there clearly

have been fundamental failings in

place. People will be held to

account, and above all, we need to

work for the team at Liverpool

prison, to make sure that it is a

clean place in the future, to

protect the public and reduce

reoffending.

Can I welcome you to

your new role. In his action plan,

it states that there will be a full

conditions survey, and investment

proposal for refurbishment. Is that

the most realistic outcome for the

future of the prison in Liverpool?

It is certainly true that thereafter

challenges, as we see with this

building itself. It is also true,

that even if Westminster Hall was

built in 1080, that it is possible

to keep buildings going. We will

look very carefully at the fabric.

In some cases, there is reason to

build new wings. In terms of

Liverpool prison, we can make a huge

difference to £2.5 million going

into new Windows and refurbishing

certain cells.

Rat infestations were

cited. Prison maintenance was

outsourced. This shows that problems

with outsourcing goes wailed beyond

Carillion. Will you commit to a

review... We will look very

carefully at the issues of

maintenance. The problems are not

only around maintenance. They are

also about relationships between the

management and the contractors, and

about the way that prisoners were

used or not used to clean the

estate. We have used a -- made a

huge amount of it was just in the

last few weeks, by changing the

management approach.

I thank the

Minister for his answer on

contractors, but it is hard to have

faith that he will address the

problems at Liverpool, or at any

prison, when it has recently come to

light that his Government handed

Carillion money even after concerns

have been raised. In reality, they

put profit first, these private

contractors.

We don't believe it's an ideological

fight between the private and public

sector. 70% of Carillion's workforce

were public servants. Most of this

has been solved through basic

management leadership. There has

been a deep clean. The yard units

have increased from 5-18, the

conditions will improve rapidly. In

the end, a lot is about management,

not about a private- public debate.

There are three things that we have

been doing on education. The first

is to make sure the government are

empowered to bring in their own

education providers, the second is

to set minimum standards in relation

to English language particularly and

the third is for the futures network

to connect people to jobs.

The

ministers are seeking to grant this

question with number 12.

I would

like to take number eight and 12

together.

I thank my honourable

friend for his answer, he knows that

46% of prisoners have only got a

literacy age of 11 and that is three

times the national average, which is

still too high. Does he agree with

me that it is lack of literacy that

often makes people go to prison in

the first place and could explained

in a little bit more detail how we

can reduce this illiteracy level so

we don't get reoffending.

As the Speaker implies in his

reprimand to me, the causes of

offending many and multiple,

illiteracy is one along with issues

to do with people health, education,

social and over criminal justice

system but literacy is key to reduce

reoffending because literacy is the

key to get a good job and good

education provision in prison is

driven by governors will be the key

to addressing this.

Can the

ministers say anything more on the

steps the government is taking

further to empower governors to

deliver effective education and

training in prisons?

The answer is

that we have empowered them by

having an EU procurement contract in

place that means that we in the

Ministry will do the central

procurement bureaucracy but the

governments can choose who they used

to actually train and educate the

prisoners. The governors are also

going to yield to choose which

companies to pay with so that the

excellent work I saw on metal

welding was able to really

contributed in getting jobs in the

community.

Does the Minister agree that

whatever plans he comes up with

require enough prison officers on

the estate to be able to release

prisoners from their cells and take

them to education and training

classes and does he know that I know

except to reduce the number of

prison officers has seriously

hampered the chances of prisoners

reoffending? Amongst the many issues

that face education in prisons is

run the issue of numbers, which is

why we have now committed and are

delivering ahead of target to having

2500 more prison officers which will

allow us to have the key working

programmes in place for each officer

will be paired with six prisoners to

guide them through the process.

With the Minister accept there are

some very good examples of literacy

classes in prisons and reoffending

rates reducing but would he

undertake to ensure the best

practice but across the United

Kingdom is replicated so we can see

reoffending rates fall across the

UK?

This is true, an enormous number of

programmes have huge success. In

Brixton prison, the problem is

reducing reoffending by 43% but we

can do much more to learn the

lessons and have a proper

standardised document that takes

what has worked elsewhere and drives

through the entire system.

In order

to encourage more businesses to take

on former offenders, the government

has to lead by example and not just

by exaltation. The band box

initiative was brought down across

government to encourage that, how

his former offender employment going

in the public sector?

I would like

to pay tribute to my predecessor who

did this job far better than I will

be able to determine of the things

he introduced which is going very

well is working with the Ministry of

Defence, providing basic supplies

for British military troops there is

something that is providing

employment of prisoners but the

training of vocational skills or

require.

Prisoners move round the

prison system and in the end they

come out of the prison system, one

of the things that goes wrong

consistently is the lack of

consistency of education and

training between different

institutions once prisoners leave.

The minister talked about poor to

the governors but they have to work

within the construct, what is he

going to do to make sure we have got

that consistency?

This is a balance

between empowering the governors so

they can have a tailored programme

that is flexible and works for the

prison while having decent national

standards and that will be set in

the curriculum to national level,

having the area managers engaged but

also giving the governor ability to

give skills relevant to the jobs

that are actually outside the prison

gates.

Question number nine. Public

safety is a primary consideration in

decisions on releasing a prisoner.

The law requires that a release is

allowed this there is no danger to

the public. The decisions are based

on incomprehensible assessment of

the ongoing risk posed by the

offender using detailed reports

compiled by risk management

professionals. I have a nice that my

department will carry out a full

review of the relevant processes and

procedures in place for victims

relating to put parole board

decisions and will consider if they

should be improved.

I will come my honourable friend, we

worked in the same city for a number

of years. In light of the recent

case, my constituents have raised

similar concerns in regard to the

release of Colin pitchfork who

brutally raped and murdered two

teenage girls in my constituency and

pleaded not guilty. He was only

found guilty as a result of DNA

evidence, which was a first at the

time. What assurances can my right

honourable friend provide for the

safety of my constituents and others

who have not been fully considered

in this matter and will he assure us

that the parole board will take into

account the safety of our citizens

in regard to Mr pitchfork's release.

Can I thank my honourable friend for

his remarks. The safety of the

public is the parole board's

overriding concern in considering

whether prisoners should be released

and that will be the board's concern

when it comes to reviewing this

detention. I can confirm that the

families of the victims are

receiving regular contact and

specifically they have been given

the opportunity to submit a victim

personal statement to the parole

board and to make representations

regarding licence conditions for any

upcoming hearing. The special

protections for release.

Does the

Minister believe that placing

prisoners back where they offended

is problematic.

Ultimately these are

operational decisions and there are

a number of factors that have to be

taken into account in deciding what

licence conditions exist. Clearly,

the views and concerns of victims an

important part of that process.

In

relation to the parole board review

of public safety, for those of us

who are deeply concerned, can he

confirmed that the government with

at least cooperate the judicial

review now being brought by victims?

Can I thank my right honourable

friend for her question. In my

statement to the House on Friday, I

set out that I would not be pursuing

the judicial review on behalf of the

government in this case but I also

made it very clear I didn't want to

say or do anything that would stand

in the way of others who may have

different views on a judicial review

and I maintain that position.

Question number ten. The government

want to victims to get the support

they need to cope with them as far

as possible from the effects of

crime and spending £96 million to

fund critical support services for

victims of crime. This includes £7.2

million for nationally commissioned

rape support services. George Moore

boys lived in rather hide and he is

not welcome back. He hasn't

sentenced the -- hasn't serve the

sentence he was given. How is the

government working with authorities

to make sure offenders are punished

for their crimes.

This case has

troubled us all and me personally,

of course it has. In this particular

case, we are investigating the

review from deprivation point of

view. As the Secretary of State has

said, there are operational

responsibilities here with regards

to wear he is transferred to and the

directions when he is released and

where he can go and the Department

is engaged with that on a daily

basis.

The biggest insult that can

be given to the victim of crime is a

derisory sentence imposed on the

offender. Could my honourable friend

update the House on his plans to

widen the scope of the lenient

sentence scheme. My honourable

friend is aware that the government

committed in its manifesto to

consider the extension of the

scheme. The Attorney General is

reviewing that.

We all know that too often the

victims are failed by the criminal

justice system. It is presumably why

in 2015 the Conservatives match

Labour's manifesto commitment to

enshrine victim's rights in a

victim's law. It is two years on.

Can ministers give me a single good

reason why it hasn't happened?

After

Easter by victim strategy will be

published, as promised, and with and

there will be recommendations on

legislative and non-legislative

measures, part of which will be the

largest of underpinning of the code.

-- the legislative underpinning.

Can

I first pay tribute to my

predecessor, the honourable member

for Surrey East for the

extraordinary work he has done. We

have have done a range of work with

the police through to the conviction

of over 28 individuals for drawing

related offences -- drone.

What

support is given to the prisoners

for the high incidence of drone

attack them will he meet with me to

discuss potential improvements?

We have established specialist teams

for prisons that have particular

vulnerabilities to drone attacks on

very happy to meet with the

honourable member to discuss some of

the legislative issues and I would

add that I also believe there is

much more we can do on basic issues

such as netting and grills, as well

as focusing on high technology.

Drones by one of the ways mobile

phones are got into prisons where

they can be used for criminality

alongside drugs. Can my honourable

friend tell me what measures are

being taken to use technology to

limit the use of mobile phones in

prison?

Two types of technology can

be used mobile telephones, one is

jamming technology the second is one

to detect the mobile phones. An

astonishing number of phones, far

too many, over 20,000 were detected

in prisons and we should address

this and two ways. Make sure they

don't get in, these are closed

environment and we should be able to

reduce the amount that is coming in

but secondly, by putting forums in

sales to other people to talk to

their families, we can monitor the

calls and control the need for these

phones in the first place.

The Ministry of Justice has plans

for £1 billion modernisation

programme for ports. This will

streamline and simplify processes

using technology. This will help

both those who work in the courts

and those who use them.

Can the Minister give an assessment

to the department's recent work and

improving the performance of the

alternative dispute resolution

scheme and its intention to help

consumers resolve disputes with

traders but also ease the volume of

work in the court room? The

honourable member is right to

highlight the importance and value

of alternative dispute resolutions.

Currently, it already runs a small

claims mediation service to help

parties resolve claims under £10,000

before a hearing. We are also

working with online mediation for

those to begin their claims online.

Under this government hundreds of

courts have closed and the latest

consultation list, I see Fleetwood

Court is on that list. Amateur days

court closures contribute to a

positive experience for people who

use them?

In circumstances where

last year nationally courts and

Tribunal services were only used at

58% of their available hearing

capacity and in circumstances that I

have already outlined, we are

planning to spend £1 billion

modernising the Court service using

technology to use some processes

online and use video evidence more

effectively. It's appropriate in the

circumstances to consider the best

use of the money that we spend on

the legal services system, which we

are doing for a consultation which

will include the honourable member's

Magistrates' Court and we will

listen closely but it's important to

remember that all the money saved

through any court closures will be

put back into the justice system,

making sure that our justice system

works effectively for everybody in

it.

Mr Speaker, the Worboys case has

made clear to me that there are some

aspects of the parole board process

that need to be examined and

improved. It is crucial that we

preserve the independence of the

board, but it is equally important

that these decisions can be

scrutinised, and in some

circumstances reconsidered. That is

why I asked on Sunday, for the

revision to include not just the

transparency, but also how outcomes

and circumstances can be challenged.

I will not rush to conclusions, this

is a complex area, and the rightful

concerns of the victims will be

considered. We will have completed

the review by Easter, and

thereafter.

The Lord Chancellor who

will be aware of the case of my

constituent who was left blinded of

one I. The defendant was sentenced

to a pathetically small 22 months.

Can you personally review how this

case has been handled, the soft

sentence given, and the failures of

the criminal justice system to

support the victim.

I am grateful to

my right honourable friend for

raising what appears to be an

extremely distressing case. We are

looking at options to strengthen our

response to the domestic abuse, and

we hope to bring forward proposals

soon. I cannot comment on individual

sentencing decisions, and

prosecutions are made by the CVS,

but I will look at the role that my

department had in this case, and

write to her a response on these

specific questions.

Thank you very

much, Mr Speaker. My constituent,

Kim Mitchell was subject to sexual

abuse which is only eight years old.

She had to supper the trauma of

growing up with the authorities not

believing her, but after a long

battle, herpes was eventually

charged us last year. Sadly, Kim has

been denied criminal injuries

compensation, does the Secretary of

State think this is there?

Is sad

and appalling case, please write to

me about it. I am happy to meet with

the member, as well.

Constituents

repeatedly complained to me that's

dangerous criminals to not as a

matter of cores serve the sentence

given by the courts. What actually

is the department taking to ensure

that sufficient prison places are

available so that dangerous

criminals can serve the appropriate

sentences.

The answer is that we

focus on making sure that we have a

proper investment programme in

place. Additional money has been

allocated for the building of new

prisons. We have two MAC currently

being provision. To reassure the

member, it is vital that sentences

are not driven by availability of

places.

In my recent community

consultation, real concern was

expressed, in the earlier exchange,

there has been a 35% fall in the

number of civil aid cases. With the

department facing cuts, how

confident is the Minister that the

review that she mentioned earlier

will provide the access to justice

that is currently being denied to

hundreds of thousands of the most

vulnerable?

Well, it is very

important that those who are the

most vulnerable do get access to

legal aid. Legal aid is available,

to those who are in need at the most

critical moment in their life. The

honourable member mentioned, in

relation to housing, legal aid is

available, where there is

homelessness, where there are just

replied to the home that they

seriously threaten life, or health

to an individual. We are reviewing

legal aid, and we will update the

House on that.

Does the Minister

agree with me that it is

reprehensible, for a north London

coroner, to independently insist on

a priority, where no death will be

prioritised, because of the religion

of the deceased.

I am aware of the

situation, having met with the board

of British jews. I do recognise that

there are some sensitivities over

this. That is why I am very happy to

meet with the honourable gentleman,

and the representatives, again in

the department.

Does the Secretary

of State think it is right that the

number of women experiencing

domestic violence who are forced to

represent themselves in court and

has doubled since 2012, and what

steps is he taking to Joe that they

get legal representation?

As I said

a moment or so ago, we are looking

at this. This is a matter that the

Government takes very seriously. In

terms of the context of legal aid,

as my honourable friend has already

pointed out, we are currently

undertaking a review.

Thank you, Mr

Speaker. We know that the

radicalisation often occurs in a

prison setting.

Mr Speaker, this is

a hugely important issue for all

sides of the House. We know

absolutely that extremism, we saw

this in France, and in Iraq, can be

driven in a prison setting. The

problem is not simply the 200

prisoners who are arrested on

terrorist offences, but others. We

are working very hard with the Home

Office on this issue, and it will be

a priority for the Secretary of

State and for myself during my time

in office.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Does the Minister believe that

funding gaps in the NHS has having a

impact on the health care division

in our prisons?

The health care in

prisons is a priority for me when I

took over in July 2000 16. It was

the first thing that I started to

ask about. The Ministry of Justice

have a much closer relationship with

the Department of Health, regarding

provision of health care, and we

have made advances about the

transfer of information. I am under

no illusion of the challenges still

to be face, within the prison

system, with regards to health care,

and that is why we will continue to

work actively with the Department of

Health, who actively are involved in

the Department for the provision of

the services.

I was pleased with the

Shropshire and Telford MPs, to see

that the court there was not

included in the list last Friday,

but would the Minister meet me and

other Shropshire MPs, to understand

how important it is to maintain this

in our county? Tenner I would be

very happy to meet with the

honourable member, and any related

MPs in that area. There are two MAC

consultation taking place, but also

a wider consultation on the future

of our courts. I would encourage the

honourable member to participate in

that, and highlight any concerns in

that, about his local area any more

nationally.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Canny Minister tell the House wide

and organisation is playing over 30

million pounds for a quarter

system...

As I have already

outlined, there is £1 billion

modernisation programme which is

very complex, and which we need to

get right. It involves a number of

aspects which need scrutiny. PwC is

replacing a number of smaller

providers, fulfilling an important

service.

Recent HM inspections

reports reveal a consistent failure

to act on recommendations on

previous reports. We'll be Minister

say that compliance of the reports

will be the norm rather than the

exception?

Absolutely. There are two

MAC things that we are doing to make

sure that we are doing this. We have

set up a special unit to follow up

on everyone of those

recommendations. The second is that

we have introduced an urgent

notification process, requiring us

to reply within 28 days to any

issues that are raised by the

inspector.

Following the round of

recent court closes, -- closures,

there has been a failure to find

alternative prison provision is.

This has not happened, despite them

saying that it had. Will the

Minister meet representations from

Eastbourne to resolve this wholly

unsatisfactory iterations?

I would

be very happy to meet with the

honourable member.

Pakistani

nationals make up one the largest

good in our prisons, but the

prisoner transfer agreement with

Pakistan has been suspended recent

years. As a matter of urgency can

get this up and running again?

The

honourable member will be a aware of

the fact that it was suspended

because of corrupt release of

prisoners by Pakistani prisoners. We

are working very closely with the

Home Office, and the Foreign Office

and the Department for International

Development. To make sure that we

make sure that they return to the

places from which they came.

The 18

months prior to May 2017, three

openly transgender women took their

own lives while in custody. What is

being done so that the staff have

the right training, and the

prisoners have the right mental

health support to avoid these tragic

events?

You are right, this is

tragic. We are working extremely

hard to recognise the particular

needs of transgender offenders. The

challenge for the system is that it

is a small number of people, spread

across a number of private prisons,

but we are having some progress.

There is more to do.

Mr Speaker, it

is good to hear the Minister offered

to speak to members around the

House, about the court in their

patch. Which is speaks them, will

Chic thing to them about

modernisation and digitalisation,

and how those changes may be able to

improve the access to courts?

The

honourable member makes a very

important point, and I would be very

happy to engage with any colleagues

who are likely to discuss it. We are

listening, but certainly, the future

of our courts are exciting, and

interestingly, transforming our

justice system, the documentary, the

Lord cheese Justice, and the --

Chief Justice...

I congratulate the

honourable member on her

appointment. She may have noticed a

negative reaction to Hopp...

appointment. She may have noticed a

negative reaction to

As I have

already highlighted, today, these

plans take place it within the Tonks

text -- context of £1 million...

But, as I have said, we will listen

in relation to the court closures,

consultation properly. It is the

Lord Chancellor that will make the

ultimate decision, and I will like

to point out that in the last

consultation on court measures, five

sites that were identified still

remain open following the review, so

when some cases are made, we will

listen.

When a prisoner is released,

they are not even at base camp in

terms of their rehabilitation, in a

less they have accommodation. An

authorities openly discriminate

against them, claiming that they

have no local... Claiming because

the prison is far away. Then it is

important.

There are three things

that we are doing to address it, but

we can do much more. The verses

having statutory duty on the

Government to identify prisoners who

are at risk of homelessness. The

second is that we are investing more

in the accommodation support

services to provide that temporary

support and accommodation. The third

is working with the Government, to

ensure that we have those homes

available even for people with

severe mental health needs, but

housing is essential.

One of my constituents has a young

son who is serving a very long

prison sentence. He often spends 23

hours locked up in his cell. How

does the ministers think that is

affecting his mental health or his

chances of rehabilitation on

release?

Clearly this is not good.

Prisoners need decent purposeful

activity. If you are logged up when

you sell too long, you're not having

educational opportunities and we

should aim to make sure that people

are spending 8-10 hours a day

outside cells, that is partly about

numbers of staff, which is why we

have brought in another 250 numbers

of staff and more education

provision and that is not

acceptable.

Following campaigns by

victim's families, the government

announced in October last year they

would bring in tougher sentences for

those causing death or serious

injury by dangerous driving but

still nothing has happened. Why the

delay?

We will be reporting to the

House in due course.

I like to put

on record my role as co-chair of the

justice unit Parliamentary group.

When the prison opened, its resume

skills development and

rehabilitation was called pioneering

but in the first six months, 27

Trans staff left. Prisoners are

assaulted staff on an occasion and

only once was reported to police.

Recruitment, retention and star

safety at this prison is in crisis.

I'm very happy to meet in detail

with the honourable member who has

put an enormous amount of passion

and energy into studying issues of

prisons in Wales. We do believe

there are some very positive signs

and we can talk goes through.

Recruitment figures have been very

positive. We are ahead on the

recruitment of 2500 people across

England and Wales but happy to sit

down and talk about that prison.

As the Secretary of State scene

investigation by the Sun newspaper

into new allegations of misconduct

by the West London coroner including

bullying, sexism and homophobic

Kondogbia for staff. Previous

findings of holding secret inquests

at night, clear by the Secretary of

State to return to work. Will he

meet with West London MPs and

council leaders to discuss this

crisis?

I thank the honourable

member for us question, I know that

the Parliamentary Secretary will be

happy to meet him.

The number and

percentage of women given custodial

sentences has dropped in many areas

of the country. The North Wales the

figures have increased by 57%. Will

the Minister Logan into the reasons

for this huge increase?

Very happy

to, please send me the information.

Some women in Europe have been taken

to the family courts on multiple

locations by former partners. This

process has been used as a form of

emotional abuse and its costly to

constituents and what steps are

being taken to recognise court abuse

and what actions will be taken now?

Using the court process to do this

is unacceptable particularly in

relation to domestic abuse. The

court can take actions if it thinks

there is an abuse of process by

restricting litigants's ability to

continue with further applications

and claims. The new rules introduced

in November made sure that

vulnerable court users get the

support that they need in court

rooms.

Individuals with Spectrum

disorder are some of the most

honourable inmates in prison and

subject to abuse and victimisation.