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1035028

	registered interest
	date	04/01/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Fire Prevention
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the dates on which each prison establishment last undertook full night-time fire contingencies exercises.
	tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
	tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
	uin	205271
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2019 answer text <p>The dates on which public sector prisons in England and Wales last undertook night-time fire contingency exercises; whether a formal report from Fire and Rescue Services was provided; and whether additional staff were requested as a result of such exercises, is provided in the attached table. Arrangements are being made to ensure that prisons listed as not yet completing for the period to undertake a fire contingency exercise.</p><p>Prison Fire Safety leads engage regularly with Fire and Rescue Services to ensure contingency plans are fit for purpose, and any issues or concerns are highlighted as part of this ongoing engagement. Additionally, Fire and Rescue Service Senior Fire Officers are required to highlight significant problems or concerns to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Operations Committee. The NFCC have confirmed that no reports on the outcomes of night-time fire contingency testing have been received.</p><p>Privately Managed Prisons (PMPs) are also obliged to follow Prison Service Instruction 11/2015, Fire Safety in Prison Establishments. This requires Directors of PMP’s to regularly test the fire contingency plans for both day and night state; contingency plans for fire must be tested at least annually.</p><p>Operators of PMPs hold data for their own contract sites. Each PMP has a full-time on-site Controller employed by HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). The Controller has regular review meetings with the contractor against a range of performance indicators. Any concerns in relation to these performance indicators or any other concerns relating to the delivery of the contract are discussed at these meetings. Where action is needed, progress is monitored by the Controller and escalated within HMPPS. Where appropriate action can be taken in accordance with the contract. This may include a requirement for urgent improvement and/or financial deductions.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 16/01/2019 19:20:31 question first ministerially corrected 23/01/2019 12:21:01 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart attachment 1 file name PQ205271,272,273 - Night time fire contingency testing.xlsx title Table for 205271, 205272, 205273 previous answer version 95757 answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1105210

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Theft: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to review the use of Out Of Court Disposals for shop theft; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Woking
	tabling member printed	Mr Jonathan Lord
	uin	237151
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2019 answer text <p>We recognise that shoplifting is not a victimless crime. It causes cost and disruption to businesses, as well as damage to communities and consumers. We encourage all victims, including shop workers, to report these crimes to the police so that they can be recorded and dealt with accordingly.</p><p> </p><p>A report by the Centre for Social Justice issued last year concluded that people addicted to heroin and crack cocaine account for 70% of shop thefts. We are committed to ensuring the most vulnerable offenders, including those with drug addictions, are able to access support at the right time. This includes diverting offenders away from custody where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>Out of Court Disposals are one important tool available in addressing shop theft – they allow the police to deal quickly and proportionately with low-level offending. Where an Out of Court Disposal is appropriate, we encourage the use of disposals which have a condition attached (be that rehabilitative, reparative, punitive or restrictive). This can achieve rapid compensation and/or divert offenders into rehabilitative services to address the root causes of their offending behaviour.</p><p> </p><p>We pay attention to trends and changes in the use of Out of Court Disposals on an ongoing basis.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 04/04/2019 16:37:48 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart previous answer version 111919 answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord

1105211

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to implement simplified Out of Court Disposals following the 2014 pilot on Adult Out of Court Disposals; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Woking
	tabling member printed	Mr Jonathan Lord
	uin	237152
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2019 answer text <p>Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs) allow police to deal quickly and proportionately with low-level offending without recourse to the courts.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to ensuring the most vulnerable offenders can access community-based support, and recognise the benefits of early intervention. So, where an OOCD is appropriate, we encourage the use of disposals which have a condition attached (be that rehabilitative, reparative, punitive or restrictive), which can achieve rapid compensation for victims and/or divert offenders into rehabilitative services to address the root causes of their offending behaviour.</p><p> </p><p>We are working in partnership with the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) whose <em>Charging and Out of Court Disposals</em> strategy supports forces moving to the simplified two-tier framework when it is operationally and financially viable.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 03/04/2019 16:44:41 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord

1105212

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Retail Trade: Crimes of Violence
	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 potential merits of introducing tougher sanctions for people attacking shop-workers; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Woking
	tabling member printed	Mr Jonathan Lord
	uin	237153
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2019 answer text <p>Everyone has the right to feel safe at work and assaults on shop-workers are unacceptable.</p><p> </p><p>There are a range of offences someone can be convicted of if they assault a shop-worker. Maximum penalties for offences are set by Parliament and include five years’ custody for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and life imprisonment for the most serious cases of causing grievous bodily harm. There are no plans to increase sentences for assault offences.</p><p> </p><p>When making sentencing decisions the courts must follow the relevant sentencing guidelines, produced by the independent Sentencing Council. The <em>Overarching principles: seriousness Guideline</em> and <em>Assault Guideline</em> include an aggravating factor where ‘an offence is committed against those working in the public sector or providing a service to the public’. Where applied, this would merit an increased sentence within the maximum available. The Sentencing Council is reviewing its guidelines on assault and a consultation on a revised guideline is anticipated later this year.</p><p> </p><p>On 21 January the Home Office announced the launch of a call for evidence on violence and abuse towards shop workers. The aim of this work is to strengthen our understanding of the issue, including how existing legislation is being applied. The National Retail Crime Steering Group will continue to provide input on tackling this issue.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 03/04/2019 16:15:04 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord

1105213

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Reoffenders: Community Orders
	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 potential benefits of commencing section 151 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to allow courts to issue community orders rather than fines for minor offences by repeat offenders; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Woking
	tabling member printed	Mr Jonathan Lord
	uin	237154
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2019 answer text <p>There are no current plans to commence Section 151 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which allows courts, in certain circumstances, to use community orders for repeat offenders who would normally receive fines.</p><p> </p><p>Section 143(2) of that Act requires courts to treat previous convictions as an aggravating factor when sentencing. With reference to shop theft offences, the Sentencing Council’s guideline on theft offences came into force in 2016. This guideline allows for the imposition of community sentences for shop theft in a wide range of circumstances. In cases involving significant persistent offending, the community and custodial thresholds may be crossed even though the offence otherwise warrants a lesser sentence.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 03/04/2019 16:46:47 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord

1038004

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Reoffenders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convicted sex offenders released from custody on licence have committed further sexual offences during the period that they are under licence in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Witham
	tabling member printed	Priti Patel
	uin	206335
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2019 answer text <p>Serious Further Offences (SFO) are rare. Fewer than 0.5% of offenders under statutory supervision are convicted of an SFO. Nonetheless, every single SFO is taken extremely seriously, and in all cases a review is carried out to identify any lessons for the better management of future cases.</p><p> </p><p>The table below provides the number of convicted sex offenders released from custody on licence who were convicted between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2018 of a SFO sexual offence during the period that they were under licence.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Number of sex offenders released on licence, who committed (convicted of) a sexual SFO, whilst subject to licence</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-2014</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-2015</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015-2016*</p></td><td><p>15</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016-2017*</p></td><td><p>25</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017-2018*</p></td><td><p>19</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>*Provisional figures subject to change as outstanding cases are concluded at court.</p><p>An SFO review is undertaken where an offender under statutory supervision in the community is charged with a qualifying offence – a “notification”. Not every offender charged with an SFO will eventually be convicted of an SFO.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 14/02/2019 16:56:59 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1045672

	registered interest
	date	21/01/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Sentencing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many sex offenders convicted in each of the last five years were sentenced to a (a) non-custodial sentence, (b) custodial sentence of less than six months, (c) custodial sentence of 6-12 months, (d) custodial sentence of one-five years, (e) a custodial sentence of 5-10 years and (f) a custodial sentence of more than 10 years by sexual offence type.
	tabling member constituency	Witham
	tabling member printed	Priti Patel
	uin	210626
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2019 answer text <p>Data on the number of offenders sentenced to custody for sexual offences, broken down by offence and length of sentence, is available in the “Outcomes by offence data tool” at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/Government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2017</a></p><p> </p><p>To obtain the requested data, carry out the following steps:</p><ul><li><p>Remove the ‘Values’ field from Rows</p></li><li><p>Select 2013 to 2017 in the ‘Year’ field</p></li><li><p>Filter ‘Offence group’ to ‘02: Sexual offences’</p></li><li><p>Drag the ‘Offence’ field into Rows</p></li><li><p>Drag all the ‘Custody’ fields into Values (this can also be done by ticking the boxes for each field and ensuring the ‘Values’ field this creates is in Rows)</p></li><li><p>For each requested sentence length period, combine the values of the relevant custodial sentence lengths</p></li><li>For those sentenced to a non-custodial sentence, drag the ‘Sentenced’ and ‘Total Immediate Custody’ fields into Values and take the difference as the number of non-custodial sentences.</li></ul> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 24/01/2019 16:42:33 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel

1090904

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners' Transfers
	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 implications for his policies of prisons ignoring advice from medical professionals that a prisoner be put on medical hold rather than transferred; and what estimate he has made of the number instances of that practice in HMP Preston in the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
	tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
	uin	233498
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2019 answer text <p>There are complex and wide-ranging issues involved in transferring prisoners, and allocation decisions must reflect both the specific needs and circumstances of the prisoner, as well as the operating environment and range of services at the receiving prison.</p><p> </p><p>All prisons in England and Wales are required to maintain the continuity of health care for prisoners, in accordance with Prison Service Order 3050. This can be found at <a href="https://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psos" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psos</a>. No assessment or estimate has been made by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service in relation to allegations that HMP Preston have disregarded medical advice. However, prisoners are able to raise disputes via local procedures which will be investigated accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 21/03/2019 14:23:49 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1139654

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Mexico: USA
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the humanitarian situation on the US-Mexico border.
	tabling member constituency	Warrington South
	tabling member printed	Faisal Rashid
	uin	911998
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>I share the hon Gentleman’s concerns about the reports of poor conditions and overcrowding in US detention facilities on the border with Mexico.</p><p>I very much welcome the steps already taken by the Administration and Congress to address these issues, including the emergency funding signed off by the President on 1 July.</p><p>These are difficult issues, and the UK has also struggled sometimes to get this right.</p><p>But we very much encourage our US friends to continue to work to improve the conditions in these facilities.</p><p>I have seen the excellent work the US has done around the world to promote human rights, and so it is important that they uphold these standards as they continue to tackle the situation at the US-Mexico border.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 17/07/2019 16:19:24 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	4670 label Biography information for Faisal Rashid

1041757

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners: Suicide
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people (a) attempted and (b) succeeded in taking their own lives in each prison in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Warrington North
	tabling member printed	Helen Jones
	uin	208794
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2019 answer text <p>The Government publishes quarterly statistics on deaths in prison custody and a more detailed annual breakdown, and both are available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-june-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-june-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>The number of self-harm incidents in each prison can be seen in table 1.13 of Self-Harm in Prison Custody 2004 to 2017, and the number of self-inflicted deaths in each prison is in table 1.16 in Deaths in Prison Custody 1978 to 2017.</p><p> </p><p>It should be noted that the statistics refer to self-harm (defined as “any act where a prisoner deliberately harms themselves, irrespective of the method, intent or severity of any injury”), and not to attempted suicide. Although incidents of self-harm may include attempts at suicide, it is hard to determine intent accurately enough for them to be recorded as such. For similar reasons the term “self-inflicted deaths” is used to include any death of a person who has apparently taken their own life, irrespective of intent. This includes not only suicides but also accidental deaths as a result of the person’s own actions.</p><p> </p><p>The Government takes very seriously its responsibility to keep prisoners safe, and we are committed to reducing the number of self-inflicted deaths and the incidence of self-harm across the estate. This is why we have established a prison safety programme through which we are taking forward a comprehensive set of actions to improve safety in custody. They include:</p><ul><li><p>investing in over 4,300 additional staff in order to deliver consistent, purposeful regimes;</p></li><li><p>improving staff knowledge and understanding of the factors known to increase risk of self-harm, to help them to identify and respond appropriately to prisoners at risk. Our revised introduction to suicide and self-harm prevention training has already reached over 24,000 staff;</p></li><li><p>renewing our partnership with Samaritans by confirming a further three years’ funding for their valuable Listeners Scheme, and working with them to share learning from the ‘Coping with Life in Prisons’ project, a successful pilot initiative in which Samaritans-trained ex-prisoners delivered emotional resilience training to groups of newly-arrived prisoners; and</p></li></ul><p>improving the multi-disciplinary ACCT case management process for those identified as at risk of self-harm or suicide.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 21/01/2019 17:46:33 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
	tabling member	432 label Biography information for Helen Jones