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390426

registered interest
date	15/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Wills: Regulation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to introduce further regulation of the making of wills; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Stoke-on-Trent South
tabling member printed	Robert Flello
uin	7209
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2015 answer text <p>Following a formal proposal made by the Legal Services Board (LSB), on 14 May 2013 the Lord Chancellor issued a Decision Notice, confirming that he had decided not to make will writing a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007. In the Decision Notice, the Lord Chancellor indicated that further efforts should be made to see if alternatives to regulation could be made more effective in reducing consumer detriment in relation to will writing.</p><p> </p><p>Since then, the LSB has encouraged measures to reduce consumer detriment and improve standards, in both the regulated and unregulated legal service sectors. The Solicitors Regulation Authority issued guidance for solicitors on will-writing in May 2014, and those in the unregulated sector, including will writing trade bodies, have met with the LSB to work to improve coverage and effectiveness of voluntary schemes and codes.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 20/07/2015 16:50:06 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1569 label Biography information for Robert Flello

389901

registered interest
date	14/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Unpaid Fines
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the value is of outstanding fines that were written off in each of the last five years; and how many outstanding fines were written off in each such year.
tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
uin	7006
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p /> <p>This Government takes recovery and enforcement of financial impositions very seriously and remains committed to finding new ways to ensure impositions are paid and to trace those who do not pay. This is why there has been a year on year increase in the total amount of financial penalties collected over the last four years. The amount of money collected at the end of 2013/14 was £290 million. The amount of money collected reached a record high of £310 million at the end of 2014/15 an increase of £20m (7%) in cash collection of financial impositions (excluding confiscation) compared to that collected in 2013/14.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the total value of financial impositions cancelled in England and Wales in each of the last five years.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Value Legally Cancelled regardless of Imposition date</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Value Administratively Cancelled regardless of Imposition date</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/2011</p></td><td><p>£62,263,874</p><p> </p></td><td><p>£50,713,367</p><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/2012</p></td><td><p>£63,957,203</p><p> </p></td><td><p>£63,135,442</p><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/2013</p></td><td><p>£62,594,601</p><p> </p></td><td><p>£75,868,426</p><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/2014</p></td><td><p>£64,312,383</p><p> </p></td><td><p>£96,801,853</p><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/2015</p></td><td><p>£61,173,156</p></td><td><p>£68,851,118</p><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The total amounts cancelled can relate to impositions made in the year stated or any previous year. These figures include fines, compensation orders, victim surcharge orders and prosecution costs orders</p><p> </p><p>Financial impositions are only administratively cancelled after all attempts to collect the amount outstanding have been made, and in accordance with strict cancellation criteria. These impositions can be written back on to the system if more information is found – for instance, a new address for the offender.</p><p> </p><p>Legal cancellations can be applied after the case has been reconsidered by a Judge or Magistrate. Typically, legal cancellations are used where a case has been re-opened and the defendant has been found not guilty, following the presentation of additional information. Legal cancellations can be full or partial remittances of financial impositions.</p><p> </p><p>We do not have information on the number of accounts cancelled; we cannot separate the total number of accounts closed in the period to distinguish between the number that were closed due to payment and those closed due to administrative or legal cancellation.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 21/07/2015 14:38:59 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

389904

registered interest
date	14/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff were employed by (a) HM Courts Service and (b) the Tribunals Service in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
uin	7002
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>Ministry of Justice, including HMCTS, staffing figures are published monthly on the gov.uk website. These are available at: <a title="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workforce-management-information-moj" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workforce-management-information-moj" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workforce-management-information-moj</a>.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 21/07/2015 14:51:47 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

389235

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Magistrates: Bankruptcy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what rules apply to membership of Magistrates' Courts' Benches by discharged bankrupts.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	6787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>In order for the public to have full confidence in the magistracy, certain factors may affect a person’s eligibility for appointment as a magistrate. While the Senior Presiding Judge will not appoint an un-discharged bankrupt, individuals who have been discharged from bankruptcy are not automatically disqualified for appointment. Such cases are considered carefully on their individual merits.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 21/07/2015 13:55:59 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

389237

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Courts: Fines
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fines have been (a) issued by courts and (b) collected in 2014-15 to date.
tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
uin	6817
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p /> <p>This Government takes recovery and enforcement of financial impositions very seriously and remains committed to finding new ways to ensure impositions are paid and to trace those who do not pay. This is why there has been a year on year increase in the total amount of financial penalties collected over the last four years. The amount of money collected has risen from £290m at the end of 2013/14 to a record of £310 million at the end of 2014/15. This is an increase of £20m (7%) in cash collection of financial impositions (excluding confiscation) compared to that collected in 2013/14.</p><p> </p><p>The number of financial imposition accounts opened and closed since 2012 is published here: (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2015" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2015</a></p><p> </p><p>Financial impositions include fines imposed in the Magistrates and Crown courts, costs orders, compensation orders, victim surcharge orders and unpaid fixed penalty notices and penalty notices for disorder which are registered as fines for enforcement.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 21/07/2015 14:28:06 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

389241

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Mediation: Family Proceedings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on retaining legal aid for family mediation.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	6851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2015 answer text <p>We are committed to making sure that more people make use of mediation services to resolve family disputes arising from separation or divorce. Legal aid remains available for family mediation, and for legal advice to support such mediation, for those who satisfy the eligibility criteria. To further promote mediation as a method of dispute resolution the government has, from November 2014, provided funding for the first single session of family mediation in all cases where one of the participants qualifies for legal aid.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 16/07/2015 16:43:50 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

389260

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Public Defender Service: Barristers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which barristers are employed by the Public Defence Service; and what day rates each such person charges.
tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
tabling member printed	Andy Slaughter
uin	6819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2015 answer text <p>This information is available on the Public Defender Service website: http://publicdefenderservice.org.uk/advocates/our-advocates/</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 16/07/2015 16:50:47 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

389268

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Criminal Proceedings: North Wales
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the effect on criminal court proceedings in North Wales has been of the withdrawal of legal services by legal aid solicitors in that region.
tabling member constituency	Wrexham
tabling member printed	Ian C. Lucas
uin	6589
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>We have asked courts to report daily on whether or not they are being adversely affected by this action. Courts in North Wales confirm that all courts are sitting as scheduled and any impact of the action by solicitors has been minimal and isolated.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 21/07/2015 13:30:57 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

389270

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Courts: Safety
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 to ensure the safety of court and security staff following the attack on a custody officer at Blackfriars Crown Court on 29 June 2015.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	6585
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>The incident at Blackfriars Crown Court occurred within the custody suite, which is only routinely accessible to defendants and Prisoner Custody Officer (PCO) personnel. Controlled access for Court staff and Court Security personnel is permitted but is subject to a risk assessment by the Escort Contractor. There are existing security arrangements in place to ensure the safety of court users and staff when high risk offenders are moved from custody areas to court hearing rooms. These are managed by a risk assessment process that include moving the case to a secure dock, escort and supervision by additional Prisoner Custody Officers, and application of restraints in the dock with the agreement of a Judge. For defendant/witnesses required to give testimony from the witness stand an application for the use of restraints can also be made to the Judge. There is also a framework of security controls in place within courts, which operate on a day to day basis, to protect staff, users and the judiciary from harm.</p><p> </p><p>The National Offender Management Service is currently undertaking a full investigation into the incident at Blackfriars. The incident is also being investigated by the MET Police and an individual has been charged with murder. The NOMS investigation is due to report shortly and it would not be appropriate to comment further in light of the ongoing criminal investigation. Escort contractors are also reviewing their procedures in light of the incident.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 21/07/2015 14:14:24 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

389279

registered interest
date	13/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Criminal Proceedings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of collaborative technology in criminal court proceedings.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	6613
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2015 answer text <p>The introduction of collaborative technology in court will help transform the criminal justice system in England and Wales. This technology will allow parties in court to exchange information digitally for the first time. It also makes it possible for visual evidence to be presented to the court.</p><p> </p><p>The two main programmes working to introduce collaborative technology into courts are the Criminal Justice Efficiency Programme and the Common Platform programme. Both programmes have measures in place to assess their effectiveness and accessibility as they develop new services. Court users have been involved in product design and testing throughout. No service has been implemented without extensive user testing – including users of assistive technology. The services have also been tested on a range of browsers and hardware. For the online plea service, public take-up and user satisfaction are recorded, and usage rates are published.</p><p> </p><p>These programmes are laying the foundations of a reformed courts service that will provide swifter, more efficient, and more convenient access to justice. I am encouraged by their progress and my officials will continue to monitor their effectiveness as these reforms are rolled out more widely across the criminal justice system.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 21/07/2015 13:40:23 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies