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1139802

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Industrial Health and Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2019 to Question 270730 on Prisons: Industrial Health and Safety, whether all prison staff who are not directly employed by HMPPS have access to (a) occupational health services, (b) employee assistance programmes, (c) trauma support services and (d) personal well-being zones.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	278444
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>HMPPS value the contribution made by external partners to HMPPS and work collaboratively with suppliers to ensure the health and safety of non-directly employed staff in prison and probation sites</p><p>Prison staff not directly employed by HMPPS can have access to the Employee Assistance Programme, trauma support services and personal well-being zones. These arrangements are agreed by officials in consultation with our external partners. However, it is normal practice for most of our external partners to have their own support arrangements in place for their staff.</p><p> </p><p>Prison staff not directly employed by HMPPS do not have access to all occupational health services because occupational health is the responsibility of their employer.</p><p> </p><p>However, contractors and third party supplier staff do have access to a 24 hour body fluid exposure and sharps injury help line, which gives non-directly employed prison staff access to immediate and specialist advice and guidance from a nurse following a suspected and actual body fluid exposure incident. This is part of our commitment to helping to protect staff from the risk of contracting blood borne viruses.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 22/07/2019 15:36:49 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1139803

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Industrial Health and Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2019 to Question 270730 on Prisons: Industrial Health and Safety, what assessment he has made of risk to prison staff who are (a) directly employed by HMPPS and (b) contractors of (i) exposure to new psychoactive substances, (ii) assaults with excreta and (iii) other assaults.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	278445
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>With regard non HMPPS employees working in prisons, we work closely at all levels with their employers and staff unions. There is a wide range of procedures and systems in place across the estate to control and mitigate their exposures to the risk referred to.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance was issued in 2017 on the control of secondary exposure and scientific research into the risk commenced in May 2018 and is currently focused on post-exposure testing of staff across ten prisons. It has been agreed that the testing programme will be expanded to include a further 10 prisons.</p><p> </p><p>Violence against those working in prisons will never be tolerated. The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act received Royal Assent on 13 September and came into force on 13 November. This will increase the penalty, from 6 to 12 months, for those who assault emergency workers including prison officers. We provide post-incident care teams, occupational health support and counselling for members of staff who are assaulted while doing their jobs.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 22/07/2019 15:55:59 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1139804

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Industrial Health and Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2019 to Question 270730 on Prisons: Industrial Health and Safety, what steps he is taking to support the physical, emotional and social well-being of prison staff who are not directly employed by HMPPS; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	278446
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>HMPPS value the contribution made by external partners to HMPPS and work collaboratively with suppliers and their staff unions to ensure both the physical health and safety and the emotional well-being of non-directly employed staff in prison and probation sites.</p><p> </p><p>There is a wide range of Health and Safety procedures and systems in place across the estate to control and mitigate exposures to the risks referred to.</p><p> </p><p>HMPPS Health, Safety and Fire conduct workplace inspections to identify any hazards and introduce safety measures within the workplace before such hazards cause harm to all staff (whether employed directly or indirectly), offenders and visitors. This is an integral part of the HMPPS Health, Safety and Fire risk management system</p><p> </p><p>In terms of emotional and social staff support, prison staff not directly employed by HMPPS can have access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), trauma support services and personal well-being zones. The EAP 24/7 helpline is accessible confidentially and without the need for line manager referral. The helpline provides access to counselling for work or non-work related issues, legal and consumer advice, as well as support for managers in handling of sensitive situations. These can all aid emotional and social well-being for not directly employed staff in prisons</p><p> </p><p>Violence against those working in prisons will never be tolerated. The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act received Royal Assent on 13 September and came into force on 13 November. This will increase the penalty, from 6 to 12 months, for those who assault emergency workers including prison officers. We provide post-incident care teams, occupational health support and counselling for members of staff who are assaulted while doing their jobs.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 22/07/2019 16:01:44 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1139855

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of uprating the financial thresholds for legal aid eligibility.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	278403
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>On 7 February 2019, the Government published its Legal Support Action Plan in which it announced a comprehensive review of the wider legal aid eligibility regime. The review will study the income and capital thresholds for legal aid entitlement and assess the effectiveness with which the means testing arrangements appropriately protect access to justice, particularly with respect to those who are vulnerable.</p><p> </p><p>The review is expected to conclude by Summer 2020 after which we will publish a full consultation paper setting out our future policy proposals in this area. We will seek to implement any final recommendations as soon as practicable following public consultation.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 22/07/2019 16:47:25 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1139882

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences: Females
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women were sentenced to imprisonment for (a) 1 month or less, (b) 3 months or less and (c) 6 months or less for each of the offences listed in the Home Office Offence Code that his Department classifies as (i) non-violent and non-sexual offences and (ii) violent and sexual offences.
tabling member constituency	Leeds East
tabling member printed	Richard Burgon
uin	278553
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice has published information on the number of women sentenced to immediate custody for theft from shops offences, and the length of these sentences in the Outcomes by Offence data tool available here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802314/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2018.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802314/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2018.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>Select ’46 Theft from Shops’ in the Offence filter</p><p>Select ’02: Female’ in the Sex filter</p><p> </p><p>The total women sentenced to immediate custody can be found in row 36 and custodial sentence lengths can be found in row 56 onwards.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice does not have a specific classification for (i) non-violent and non-sexual offences and (ii) violent and sexual offences, as offences are classified by indictable or summary offence groupings and prosecutions are counted for principal offences. Broad indictable groups for ’01: Violence against the person’ and ’02: Sexual offences’ can be displayed using the Offence group filter in the above data tool for violent and sexual offences; all other offence groups would broadly cover non-violent and non-sexual offences. However, note that some offences that would be classified as violence (such as common assault and battery) are counted in the summary offences category.</p><p> </p><p>Please note that the figures given in the pivot table relate to defendants for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 278561 question first answered 22/07/2019 16:05:08 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4493 label Biography information for Richard Burgon

1139895

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Magistrates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Leadership Magistrates there were by (a) gender, (b) age, (c) ethnicity, (d) socio-economic background and (e) who have declared a disability in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Leeds East
tabling member printed	Richard Burgon
uin	278554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>Judicial leadership appointments are a matter for the judiciary.</p><p>There are eight leadership magistrates; one national leadership magistrate and seven regional leadership magistrates. Disclosure of gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic background and disability is not possible due to the potential for individuals to be identifiable as a result of the small numbers.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 22/07/2019 16:22:52 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4493 label Biography information for Richard Burgon

1139905

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what total Government expenditure on legal aid has been since 1989 in (a) nominal and (b) real terms.
tabling member constituency	Leeds East
tabling member printed	Richard Burgon
uin	278557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The tables below show total Government expenditure on legal aid between 2005-6 and 2018-19 in nominal and real terms The information requested is not available for the period prior to 2005-6 as each series is presented as far back in time as it can be produced on a basis that is comparable with the most recent figures. Beyond this, measures of overall expenditure may not be directly comparable because the way legal aid is administered and public money is managed and accounted for have changed. In February, the government published the Legal Support Action Plan which committed to a number of changes to legal aid, including improving the Exceptional Case Funding scheme, expanding the scope of legal aid to all special guardianship orders in private family law, and removing the means test for those with parental responsibility who wish to oppose adoption and placement orders. In addition, we are reviewing the legal aid means testing framework to ensure that those who need legal aid are able to access it into the future. The Ministry of Justice, aims to complete the review by Summer 2020. <strong>RDEL - nominal terms (£m)</strong> <table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial<br> Year</strong></p></td><td><p>Criminal legal aid</p></td><td><p>Civil <br> legal aid</p></td><td><p>Central Funds</p></td><td><p><strong>Total <br> legal aid</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>1,200</p></td><td><p>843</p></td><td><p>69</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,112 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>1,190</p></td><td><p>777</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,020 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>1,203</p></td><td><p>824</p></td><td><p>65</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,092 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>1,172</p></td><td><p>903</p></td><td><p>73</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,148 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>1,101</p></td><td><p>961</p></td><td><p>88</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,150 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>1,175</p></td><td><p>1,026</p></td><td><p>78</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,279 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>1,115</p></td><td><p>966</p></td><td><p>101</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,182 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>995</p></td><td><p>946</p></td><td><p>98</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,039 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>967</p></td><td><p>825</p></td><td><p>81</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,873 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>889</p></td><td><p>685</p></td><td><p>63</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,637 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>861</p></td><td><p>600</p></td><td><p>49</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,511 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>863</p></td><td><p>646</p></td><td><p>45</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,554 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18</p></td><td><p>891</p></td><td><p>678</p></td><td><p>49</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,619 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-19</p></td><td><p>879</p></td><td><p>731</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,657 </strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><strong>RDEL - real terms (2018-19 prices) (£m)</strong><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial<br> Year</strong></p></td><td><p>Criminal legal aid</p></td><td><p>Civil <br> legal aid</p></td><td><p>Central <br> Funds</p></td><td><p><strong>Total <br> legal aid</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>1,534</p></td><td><p>1,077</p></td><td><p>88</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,699 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>1,478</p></td><td><p>965</p></td><td><p>65</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,508 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>1,458</p></td><td><p>998</p></td><td><p>79</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,535 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>1,382</p></td><td><p>1,065</p></td><td><p>87</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,534 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>1,280</p></td><td><p>1,117</p></td><td><p>103</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,500 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>1,342</p></td><td><p>1,171</p></td><td><p>89</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,602 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>1,257</p></td><td><p>1,088</p></td><td><p>113</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,458 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>1,100</p></td><td><p>1,045</p></td><td><p>108</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,252 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>1,048</p></td><td><p>895</p></td><td><p>88</p></td><td><p><strong> 2,031 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>952</p></td><td><p>734</p></td><td><p>67</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,753 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-16</p></td><td><p>915</p></td><td><p>638</p></td><td><p>52</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,605 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-17</p></td><td><p>897</p></td><td><p>671</p></td><td><p>47</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,614 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-18</p></td><td><p>908</p></td><td><p>691</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,649 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018-19</p></td><td><p>879</p></td><td><p>731</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p><strong> 1,657 </strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Note: 2018 - 19 prices are based on the deflator series published by the ONS on 28 June 2019. RDEL (Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit) is current expenditure from within the annual Departmental Expenditure Limits that are set by the Treasury for each government department, and is used in the MoJ and LAA Annual Report &amp; Accounts. It aims to measure the value of all work carried out in each period, regardless of whether it is on cases that have finished. RDEL excludes AME (hence so do the budgeting measures shown in the table). AME (Annually-Managed Expenditure) broadly covers unpredictable or uncontrollable expenditure. In legal aid terms this is work in progress where the payment date is unknown. It can be negative for individual years. In 2013-14, responsibility for Central Funds spending transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the Legal Aid Agency. From October 2014 a new administrative system has enabled these statistics to be based on the general ledger prior to accounting adjustments, and therefore from 2015-16 they are no longer identical to the RDEL figures.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 22/07/2019 16:34:52 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4493 label Biography information for Richard Burgon

1139908

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2019 to Question 231895, whether prison governors have assessed all new prisoners for learning difficulties and/or disabilities on reception since April 2019; and what proportion of the new prison population has been identified as having learning difficulties or disabilities.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	278346
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) introduced a Management Information System alongside the new education contracts in April this year to help collect a range of data for prison education including information on all new prisoners screened for learning difficulties and/or disabilities on reception to prison. Following this, for those who go into learning and where screening indicates an issue, education suppliers will assess them to ensure the right adaptations and support arrangements are put in place (including for maths and English delivery).</p><p> </p><p>The new system is still being embedded across the prison estate. I will therefore write to the Hon</p><p>Member with the information once the data requested is verified and becomes available. A copy</p><p>of my letter will also be placed in the Library.</p><p> </p><p>I can assure the Hon Member that prisoners continue to be screened for learning difficulties and/or disabilities on reception into prison using existing paper-based systems.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 22/07/2019 15:50:29 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1139927

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Offences against Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the review of the definition of positions of trust in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 will conclude in the summer.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	278517
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>I recognise that there are concerns about those who might abuse their position of power over a 16 or 17-year-old to pressure them into engaging in a sexual relationship. Such behaviour is very likely to be caught by the robust laws we already have in place. Any sexual activity with a child under 16 is a criminal offence, regardless of whether consent is given. Any non-consensual sexual activity is also a crime, whatever the age of the victim and whatever the relationship between the victim and perpetrator.</p><p> </p><p>However, we remain absolutely committed to protecting children and young people from sexual abuse and we want to ensure that existing offences are being used effectively to tackle this behaviour, and that those working with young people understand their responsibilities and act appropriately.</p><p> </p><p>My department, working closely with colleagues across government, is taking forward a review of the existing law, to check that that it is working effectively and ensuring young people are protected.</p><p> </p><p>I shall consider the findings of that review carefully.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 278518 question first answered 22/07/2019 16:47:53 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1139928

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Offences against Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether positions of trust as defined in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 will be extended to cover all adults with power and authority over young people as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	278518
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>I recognise that there are concerns about those who might abuse their position of power over a 16 or 17-year-old to pressure them into engaging in a sexual relationship. Such behaviour is very likely to be caught by the robust laws we already have in place. Any sexual activity with a child under 16 is a criminal offence, regardless of whether consent is given. Any non-consensual sexual activity is also a crime, whatever the age of the victim and whatever the relationship between the victim and perpetrator.</p><p> </p><p>However, we remain absolutely committed to protecting children and young people from sexual abuse and we want to ensure that existing offences are being used effectively to tackle this behaviour, and that those working with young people understand their responsibilities and act appropriately.</p><p> </p><p>My department, working closely with colleagues across government, is taking forward a review of the existing law, to check that that it is working effectively and ensuring young people are protected.</p><p> </p><p>I shall consider the findings of that review carefully.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 278517 question first answered 22/07/2019 16:47:54 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion