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1134130

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the findings of the June 2019 report by the Prison Reform Trust, Prison: the facts, what steps his Department is taking to (a) tackle overcrowding and (b) improve conditions in prisons.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	268434
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Reducing crowding is a central aim of our modernisation of the prison estate. Our plan for reducing prison crowding is to replace prisons that are operating over their certified normal accommodation levels with new accommodation that is safe, decent, and uncrowded and close current (crowded or partially crowded) capacity. The first steps in this direction have already been taken with the opening of 2,100 uncrowded prison places at HMP/YOI Berwyn and 206 uncrowded places in a new houseblock at HMP Stocken. Additionally, we are constructing modern prisons at the former HMP Wellingborough and HMP Glen Parva sites, which are due to open in 2021 and 2023 respectively.</p><p> </p><p>We invested an additional £31m in the last financial year to improve conditions in some of the prisons with the most pressing issues. With this funding we delivered refurbishments of nearly 1,000 cells, over 100 shower blocks and 14 food serveries at a number of prisons including HMPs Liverpool, Bristol, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs, as well as essential fire safety work.</p><p> </p><p>There is also ongoing refurbishment work to improve the condition of cells, showers and communal areas at a number of prisons, along with several projects to enhance fire safety.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 11:04:48 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1134167

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Television Licences: Older People
	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 18 June 2019 to Question 264316 on Television Licensing, how many of the people committed to prison since 2014 for non-payment of the fine associated with the use of television equipment without a licence were over the age of 75.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	268358
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>Since 2014 there have been zero prison admissions for those aged over 75 for non-payment of fines associated with the use of television equipment without a licence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 11:01:29 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1134173

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Overcrowding
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of overcrowded prisons in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	268359
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) publishes monthly individual prison population and capacity information through the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-population-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-population-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>As at 31 May 2019, 72 prisons operated with a population above their Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) but not above their operational capacity. There are no prisons operating above their operational capacity in England and Wales. The operational capacity of a prison is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by the Prison Group Director on the basis of operational judgement and experience.</p><p> </p><p>CNA, or uncrowded capacity, is the Prison Service’s own measure of accommodation. CNA represents the good, decent standard of accommodation that the Service aspires to provide all prisoners.</p><p> </p><p>Where the operational capacity of a prison is higher than the CNA it will be classed as having the potential to be 'crowded', which can mean prisoners share cells. In the financial year 2017/18, 24.2% of the prison population was being held in crowded conditions, down from 24.5% in the previous year.</p><p> </p><p>Reducing crowding is a central aim of our modernisation of the prison estate. Our plan for reducing prison crowding is to replace prisons that are operating over their certified normal accommodation levels with new accommodation that is safe, decent, and uncrowded and close current (crowded or partially crowded) capacity. The first steps in this direction have already been taken with the opening of 2,100 uncrowded prison places at HMP/YOI Berwyn; 206 uncrowded places in a houseblock at Stocken; and a commitment to construct modern, decent, uncrowded prisons at the former HMP Wellingborough and HMP Glen Parva sites, which are due to open in 2021 and 2023 respectively.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 268360 question first answered 27/06/2019 11:03:39 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1134174

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Overcrowding
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government is taking to reduce overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	268360
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) publishes monthly individual prison population and capacity information through the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-population-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-population-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>As at 31 May 2019, 72 prisons operated with a population above their Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) but not above their operational capacity. There are no prisons operating above their operational capacity in England and Wales. The operational capacity of a prison is the total number of prisoners that an establishment can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime. It is determined by the Prison Group Director on the basis of operational judgement and experience.</p><p> </p><p>CNA, or uncrowded capacity, is the Prison Service’s own measure of accommodation. CNA represents the good, decent standard of accommodation that the Service aspires to provide all prisoners.</p><p> </p><p>Where the operational capacity of a prison is higher than the CNA it will be classed as having the potential to be 'crowded', which can mean prisoners share cells. In the financial year 2017/18, 24.2% of the prison population was being held in crowded conditions, down from 24.5% in the previous year.</p><p> </p><p>Reducing crowding is a central aim of our modernisation of the prison estate. Our plan for reducing prison crowding is to replace prisons that are operating over their certified normal accommodation levels with new accommodation that is safe, decent, and uncrowded and close current (crowded or partially crowded) capacity. The first steps in this direction have already been taken with the opening of 2,100 uncrowded prison places at HMP/YOI Berwyn; 206 uncrowded places in a houseblock at Stocken; and a commitment to construct modern, decent, uncrowded prisons at the former HMP Wellingborough and HMP Glen Parva sites, which are due to open in 2021 and 2023 respectively.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 268359 question first answered 27/06/2019 11:03:39 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1133587

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what redress a victim or witness has if special measures are requested in court but are not subsequently provided.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267261
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>There are many statutory protections that support vulnerable victims and witnesses in the criminal courts, for example banning cross examination of rape complainants by the defendant. In addition, a number of special measures can be applied for by the CPS to further support a victim or witness who is intimidated or vulnerable, for example the provision of protective screens.</p><p> </p><p>Such applications are considered by the trial judge. Should circumstances change during the trial it is possible for a late (or second) application to be made. Where applications are refused, it may be possible to appeal at the Court of Appeal or, in certain exceptional circumstances, to seek a judicial review.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 28/06/2019 13:17:27 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133596

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Community Rehabilitation Companies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timetable is for the (a) termination of the 21 contracts for Community Rehabilitation Companies and (b) return of the management of offenders to the National Probation Service.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267269
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>In May 2019, we announced significant changes to the future structure of probation services in England and Wales. To allow us sufficient time for a smooth transition to the new model, we have put in place arrangements that will allow us to extend CRC contracts up until spring 2021.</p><p> </p><p>We aim to complete the integration of CRC offender management functions into the NPS in England in line with the termination of CRC contracts. In Wales, where our plans are more developed and where probation areas are already coterminous, we aim to complete the integration of offender management under the NPS in December 2019.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 17:04:40 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133597

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Mobile Phones
	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 (a) prevalence and (b) level of risk of illegal mobile phone use in prisons in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267270
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>The illegal use of mobile phones in prisons is one of the most significant threats facing our prisons. Illicit mobile phones undermine good order and control in prisons, and perpetuates ongoing criminality. They are used by prisoners for a range of criminal purposes, including drug supply, witness intimidation, extreme violence, involvement in organised crime and successful escapes. In the 12 months to March 2018 there were 15,036 mobile phones found in prisons, along with 9,345 SIM cards. This is an increase of 9% and 30% respectively compared with the previous 12-month period.</p><p> </p><p>Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has implemented a threefold approach to tackling the threat posed by mobile phones in prisons:</p><p> </p><ul><li>To minimise the number of phones entering prisons, we are strengthening our gate and perimeter security. This includes drafting specialist search teams into prisons across the country and extending the use of X-ray body scanners more widely across the prison estate to detect when prisoners are internally concealing contraband.</li><li>To strengthen our efforts to find phones that do enter prisons, we recently announced the installation of new phone detection technology in a number of prisons that will allow prison officers to pinpoint mobile phone signals down to precise cells. Through the Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2018, we have additionally expanded blocking powers to allow us to work with mobile network providers to disrupt the use of illicit phones in prisons.</li><li>We have also made significant improvements to our ability to forensically analyse seized phones and go after the criminal groups that supply them. For example, we have delivered new kits at 30 prisons to allow officers to download data quickly from illicit phones seized from prisoners.</li></ul> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 17:07:01 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133598

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Drugs
	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 (a) prevalence, (b) type of drug, (c) method of importation and (b) health risks to (i) prisoners and (ii) staff of the presence of illegal drugs in prisons in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267271
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>HMPPS measures the prevalence of drug use in prisons through random mandatory drug testing of prisoners. These test for a wide range of drugs including psychoactive substances as defined in the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. In 2017/18, 20.4% of samples tested positive for drugs.</p><p> </p><p>Psychoactive Substances (PS), as defined in the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, are the most prevalent drug type in prison. Psychoactive substances were present in 60% of all positive samples in 2017/18, overtaking cannabis (28%), opiates (11%) and buprenorphine (10%). HMPPS is continuing to develop its drug testing frameworks to respond to the changing patterns of misuse in prisons.</p><p> </p><p>Drugs can enter prison through a number of routes including being thrown over the wall or flown over by drone, via mail, visits, forced recalls (offenders who intentionally breach their licence in order to be recalled), and corrupt staff. The extent to which individual routes are used varies over time and across the estate and is influenced by a range of static and dynamic factors. HMPPS monitors these routes by gathering intelligence and working with law enforcement partners.</p><p> </p><p>HMPPS is working with unions, independent scientists and clinicians to assess the impact of secondary exposure to psychoactive substances on staff and prisoners. A program of staff post-exposure biological testing is being expanded and will explore prisoner and staff experiences of secondary exposure to assess the risk.</p><p> </p><p>To respond to the risk from drugs in prisons, we are strengthening our gate and perimeter security, drafting specialist search teams into prisons across the country and investing in physical and technical security counter measures. Alongside this, HMPPS has developed a new, national Prison Drugs Strategy, published in April 2019. The strategy outlines how HMPPS is working to restrict the supply of drugs, reduce demand through rehabilitative activities, and support prisoners to build recovery from substance misuse.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 28/06/2019 13:29:33 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133601

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Homicide
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of homicides were committed by people on (a) parole and (b) a life licence in England and Wales in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267272
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>Under the Probation Serious Further Offence (SFO) Review Procedures, the National Probation Service (NPS) or Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) must undertake a review where an offender under statutory supervision in the community is charged with a qualifying offence – a “notification”. Not every notification results in a conviction for an SFO.</p><p> </p><p>SFOs are rare. Less than 0.1% of offenders under statutory supervision are convicted of murder, and less than 0.5% convicted of any 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>We have interpreted ‘parole’ to mean offenders subject to indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) released by the Parole Board.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1 below sets out the number of offenders convicted of murder, who at the time they committed the offence were being supervised on a) an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection and b) life licence in England and Wales between 2016 and 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Table 2</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>a) Offenders supervised on an IPP sentence</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>b) Offenders supervised on life licence</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><ol><li>The data provided are provisional figures subject to change when any outstanding cases are concluded at court.</li><li>There were no other serious further offences of homicide such as manslaughter or infanticide.</li><li>The data also includes cases where the offender committed suicide or died prior to any trial, where a Court has ruled that they were responsible.</li><li>Data is not included on any determinate sentence prisoner either released automatically or released by the parole board early from an extended determinate sentence or following recall.</li><li>Data Sources and Quality .We have drawn these figures from administrative IT systems which, as with some large-scale recording systems, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing</li></ol><p> </p><p>We are not able to present the number of murders committed by offenders subject to probation supervision as a proportion of all murders and homicides, as there are differences in the way the respective data sets are produced. Published Homicide Index data are based on the year when the offence was recorded as a crime, not when the offence took place or when the case was heard in court. SFO data are first recorded when the notification, usually triggered by the court appearance, is received by the SFO Team in Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. However, in some cases it will be the following year(s) when the offender is convicted of the SFO</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 28/06/2019 13:33:58 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133602

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Security
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of x-ray body scanners in prisons in England and Wales .
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267273
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>We are taking urgent and decisive action to stop contraband from entering our prisons. These illicit items pose a significant threat to safety and security.</p><p> </p><p>X-ray body scanners have already been installed at Altcourse, Belmarsh, Doncaster, Forest Bank, Holme House, Leeds, Northumberland and Peterborough.</p><p> </p><p>We believe X-ray scanning technology provides an effective method of confirming whether a prisoner is attempting to smuggle contraband via internal concealment.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 267274 question first answered 27/06/2019 17:10:09 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts