Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1132902

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Young Offenders: Restraint Techniques
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department collects data on the use of personal safety techniques on children in young offender institutions and secure training centres.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	266202
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The Youth Custody Service does collect data on the use of personal safety techniques. The reasons for using these techniques are outlined in Prison Service Instruction 30/2015 (Amendment to Use of Force Prison Service Order 1600). The department publishes data on the use of force, and Non-Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint on young people in custody. The data is published annually and can be found via the link below. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2017-to-2018</a> The safety and welfare of young people held in custody is our highest priority. Restraint is only ever used as a last resort, where there is a risk of harm, and no other form of intervention is possible or appropriate. Every incident of restraint, including those involving personal safety techniques is reviewed individually by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) staff to consider whether any lessons can be learned for the future. Charlie Taylor has been asked to review the Department’s policy on the use of pain-inducing techniques in the restraint of children and young people in the secure estate to ensure that our approach remains appropriate for the youth estate and in line with the latest research. He is due to report back to Ministers with his findings in the coming months.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 266204 question first answered 24/06/2019 14:42:49 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1132904

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Young Offenders: Restraint Techniques
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department collects data on the reasons for non-Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint techniques being used on children in young offender institutions and secure training centres.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	266204
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2019 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The Youth Custody Service does collect data on the use of personal safety techniques. The reasons for using these techniques are outlined in Prison Service Instruction 30/2015 (Amendment to Use of Force Prison Service Order 1600). The department publishes data on the use of force, and Non-Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint on young people in custody. The data is published annually and can be found via the link below. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2017-to-2018</a> The safety and welfare of young people held in custody is our highest priority. Restraint is only ever used as a last resort, where there is a risk of harm, and no other form of intervention is possible or appropriate. Every incident of restraint, including those involving personal safety techniques is reviewed individually by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) staff to consider whether any lessons can be learned for the future. Charlie Taylor has been asked to review the Department’s policy on the use of pain-inducing techniques in the restraint of children and young people in the secure estate to ensure that our approach remains appropriate for the youth estate and in line with the latest research. He is due to report back to Ministers with his findings in the coming months.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 266202 question first answered 24/06/2019 14:42:49 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1126553

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Offences against Children: Trials
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on victims of historical child sexual abuse of providing them with an alternative to court proceedings involving a jury trial.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	254206
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>Tackling historical sexual abuse and bringing perpetrators to justice is a government priority. It is vital that victims are provided with support to cope and recover from the impact of crime, regardless of whether they choose to report the crime to the police.</p><p> </p><p>The right of defendants in Crown Court cases to be tried by their peers is a fundamental part of our justice system and the government has no plans to interfere with it.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 20/05/2019 13:30:12 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1126189

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Legal Representation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what circumstances in cases involving historical sexual abuse are victims entitled to legal representation.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	253582
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s first ever cross-government Victims Strategy outlines our commitments to victims of crime.</p><p> </p><p>The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases. Victims of crime are not separately represented in criminal trials.</p><p> </p><p>Victims of historic sexual abuse have access to an independent sexual violence adviser (ISVA). The ISVA’s role is to ensure the victim receives the right support before, during and after legal proceedings. As part of proceedings, a victim may be called to give evidence as a witness for the prosecution. ISVAs will work alongside the Court-Based Witness Service to support the victim to give their best evidence and participate in the court process.</p><p> </p><p>In April this year, the Ministry of Justice awarded £8m in funding to rape support centres to provide emotional and practical support to victims of sexual violence and historic sexual abuse, including the provision of ISVA services. We also provided a grant of £11.2m to Citizens Advice for the delivery of the Court-Based Witness Service.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 16/05/2019 16:44:33 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1126190

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Criminal Proceedings: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, under what circumstances in cases involving historical sexual abuse are victims entitled to have character references used in their defence.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	253583
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Tackling historical sexual abuse and bringing perpetrators to justice is a government priority.</p><p> </p><p>Some victims of historical sexual abuse may be called to give evidence in criminal trials however a victim is not a party to a criminal case, as the Crown prosecutes. Victims and witnesses are not required to defend themselves or provide evidence to support their statements.</p><p>Rules of evidence do not permit the Crown to call evidence of the good character of a prosecution witness in order to bolster their credibility where it is not relevant to an issue in the case.</p><p>If the defendant attacks the character of a witness, evidence of the defendant’s bad character may be admissible as evidence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 16/05/2019 16:31:42 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1126191

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Victims
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what protections exist for victims of historical sexual abuse where the perpetrator remains living in the victim's locality.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	253584
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Protection orders are an important tool for keeping victims safe and preventing the continuation or escalation of violence.</p><p> </p><p>Protections for victims of sexual offences, including historic abuse include:</p><ul><li>Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements, which are in place to ensure the successful management of violent and sexual offenders in the community.</li><li>Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, which can be used to impose a range of restrictions on sexual offenders, including travel restrictions.</li><li>Sexual Risk Orders, which can be used to impose restrictions on individuals who have done an act of a sexual nature and, as a result, pose a risk of harm to the public in the UK or children or vulnerable adults abroad. For a Sexual Risk Order to be imposed, the individual does not need to have committed an offence.</li><li>Sex Offender Notification Requirements, which require offenders to provide certain information to the police, for example notifying them if the offender is living in a household with a person under the age of 18.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Additionally, the Victim Contact Scheme is available to victims of violent and sexual offences where the offender receives a sentence of 12 months or more. The scheme provides victims with information and advice about the criminal justice process – including being kept informed of key stages of the offender's sentence and to advise on victim-related conditions that can be attached to the offender's release licence. Conditions can be around non-contact or excluding the offender from entering specific locations such as areas where the victim lives or works. The offender risks being recalled to prison should they breach any licence conditions.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 16/05/2019 14:08:07 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1126192

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Criminal Proceedings: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance and training barristers receive on the cross-examination of victims of historical sexual abuse.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	253585
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) has developed specialist training for all advocates who question witnesses in cases of a serious sexual nature involving vulnerable adults and children. The training programme goes beyond victims of serious sexual offences. It aims to ensure all advocates understand the key principles of how to approach and question vulnerable people in the justice system</p><p>As set out in the Government’s Victims Strategy, the training programme delivers the manifesto commitment: “Publicly funded advocates will have specialist training in handling victims before taking on serious sexual offences” and goes beyond that commitment. Training is available to all advocates, not just those working on publicly funded cases.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 16/05/2019 16:41:56 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1126193

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Criminal Proceedings: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the wellbeing of victims of sexual assault of undergoing cross-examination during the court process.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	253586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>In the Government’s first ever cross-government Victim’s Strategy, we committed to make the court environment more victim friendly and to improve access to special measures.</p><p>Victims may be provided with a wide range of special measures to help them give their best evidence in court. The measures available include the power for a court to order arrangements for live video links, video recorded evidence in chief, and screens around the witness box, and from this summer an additional special measure - pre-recorded cross-examination - will be will be available for witnesses who are adult complainants in sexual offences, in three courts - Liverpool, Leeds and Kingston upon Thames. This marks delivery of another commitment in the Victims Strategy published in September 2018.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 21/05/2019 14:53:25 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1123842

	registered interest
	date	30/04/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Young Offenders: Protection
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 211 of the IICSA report Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009–2017, published February 2019, what the terms of reference are of the safeguarding review being carried out on the children’s secure estate; what date the review was established; and what the timetable is for the report from that review to be published.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	249316
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>The Youth Custody Service’s internal safeguarding review was established in April 2018, under the following Terms of Reference:</p><p> </p><ol><li>Review, and where appropriate revise, the current operational policies for Safeguarding within the Youth Secure Estate;</li><li>Review the processes for handling allegations and complaints, including but not limited to, access, response, investigation and the support offered to children and young people</li><li>Review the corporate governance structures for safeguarding given the transfer of functions from the Youth Justice Board (YJB) to the Youth Custody Service (YCS)</li><li>Review the staff recruitment and vetting procedures in place and systems for referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.</li><li>Review the safeguarding training offer and arrangements for all staff</li><li>Review information sharing arrangements between different departments within establishments, for example between Safeguarding and Security teams.</li><li>Ensure the YCS is compliant with and executing its duties in relation to the Working Together guidance issued by the Department for Education, and any other relevant statutory requirements</li><li>Scope and establish working relationships with relevant external stakeholders. For example, the chairs of Local Safeguarding Children Boards on the custodial care of children; Association of Directors of Children’s Services; YJB etc.</li><li>Make recommendations on policies, processes and procedures, as deemed necessary to improve safeguarding measures for children and young people</li><li>Share and disseminate good practice with staff across the youth secure estate, in line with the YCS’s emerging continuous improvement model.</li></ol><p> </p><p>The YCS safeguarding report is in the process of being finalised and I will write to you when the report has been submitted to me.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 07/05/2019 15:46:54 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

1123256

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking in response to the findings and recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s investigation into child custodial institutions.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	247716
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2019 answer text <p>The findings in the Inquiry’s report are shocking. The safety and welfare of children across all aspects of the youth justice system is a priority for government. We are already conducting an urgent review into safeguarding in the youth custodial estate and we have commissioned an independent review of pain inducing restraint techniques. We are also rolling out new specialist training and a specific qualification for staff working in the secure estate as part of a wide programme of reform, but we recognise further action is needed. We will carefully consider all the report’s recommendations and respond in due course.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 01/05/2019 10:15:23 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar previous answer version 115888 answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck