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1175585

registered interest
date	03/02/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Acquittals: Legal Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reimbursing legal costs for defendants acquitted during legal trials.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	11493
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government has measures in place to reimburse acquitted defendants in the criminal courts. Defendants who have been granted legal aid for representation in the Crown Court are paid back the sum of any income contributions, which they have made, in full upon acquittal.</p><p> </p><p>Acquitted defendants who were financially ineligible for legal aid and who have paid privately for legal representation in the Magistrates’ or Crown Court are entitled to recover their costs at the legal aid rates, via a Defendant’s Cost Order.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 11/02/2020 16:07:46 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1125155

registered interest
date	07/05/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Ministry of Justice: Bullying
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of cases of bullying and harassment that have been recorded against managers in his Department in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	251306
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2019 answer text <p>The number of cases<sup>1</sup> of Ministry of Justice (MOJ) managers<sup>2</sup> facing conduct and discipline action<sup>3</sup> for 'Bullying and Harrassment'<sup>4</sup> for each of the years 2013/14 to 2017/18, is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-15</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015-16</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016-17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017-18</strong><strong><sup>5</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of cases</strong></p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><ol><li>A case is defined as a unique combination of case and individual member of staff. Where more than one member of staff is involved in a single case these are counted separately in this table. Equally staff involved in more than one case during the year are counted multiple times.</li><li>Managers defined as Civil Service Band B / SEO and above.</li><li>Conduct and discipline cases are defined as where a penalty has been imposed on a member of staff for a reason of conduct.</li><li>This includes 'Bullying and Harassment’ and ‘Abusive language/behaviour towards staff’ in data collected in HM Prison &amp; Probation Service (HMPPS) and 'Offensive, abusive or repeated unwanted behaviour' in the remaining MOJ data.</li><li>The 2017/18 data is provisional for HMPPS.</li></ol><p>Data includes MOJ and its Executive Agencies.</p><p> </p><p>MoJ has an ongoing commitment to ensuring that staff are treated with dignity and respect and that concerns raised by staff are listened to and dealt with appropriately. MoJ has a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of harassment and bullying. Our grievance policy and guidance is published on our intranet and accessible to all staff. We have a network of anti-bullying and harassment advisors that provide peer support to staff. In addition, we have an Employee Assistance Programme that offers advice, support and counselling services to those who have experienced harassment and bullying.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 15/05/2019 16:43:11 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1130367

registered interest
date	06/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Knives: Crime
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many recorded knife crime offences were disposed of with a conviction in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	261191
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2019 answer text <p>This information is not collated centrally.</p><p> </p><p>We cannot determine from the data we hold on prosecutions whether offences, such as assault and murder, involved a weapon. However, data on offenders who are convicted or cautioned for the possession of a knife or threatening with a knife can be found online at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/knife-possession-sentencing-quarterly" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/knife-possession-sentencing-quarterly</a></p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 12/06/2019 16:55:01 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1612561

registered interest
date	19/04/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Rape: Greater London
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps is he taking to increase the rate of prosecutions for rape cases in London.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	181851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2023 answer text <p>In June 2021, we published the End-to-End Rape Review Action Plan. The Action Plan set out an ambitious programme of work to drive improvements throughout the system and achieve better outcomes for victims, which will help to increase the rate of prosecutions for rape cases across the country.</p><p>We also set our public ambition to return the number of adult rape cases referred, charged, and reaching court by the end of this Parliament to 2016 levels. We are on track to reach our ambition for all three metrics.</p><p>To support improvements in London specifically, the London Metropolitan Police joined Operation Soteria, our flagship joint police and CPS programme which is working to transform the way that rape investigations are handled and progressed, in December 2021. We are also working with Snaresbrook Crown Court through our Specialist Sexual Violence Support project to improve the victim experience at the court stage. We have also provided £10.1m of ringfenced funding to MOPAC to commission sexual violence services to support victims at every stage of the criminal justice system.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 25/04/2023 14:17:45 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1626157

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	End-to-End Rape Review
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress his Department has made in implementing the End-to-End Rape Review Action Plan published in June 2021.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	184053
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>The Government has made strong progress on implementing the End-to-End Rape Review Action Plan, published on 18 June 2021, which is focused on improving the system response to rape and ensuring more victims see justice. The most recent six-monthly Progress Report is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/end-to-end-rape-review-progress-report" target="_blank">End to End Rape Review Progress Report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></p><p> </p><p>Our progress on implementing the End-to-End Rape Review Action Plan includes:</p><ul><li><p>We are more than quadrupling funding for victim and witness support services by 2024/5, up from £41m in 2009/10.</p></li><li><p>As of September 2022, we have fully rolled out pre-recorded cross examination (Section 28) for victims of sexual and modern slavery offences in all Crown Courts across England and Wales. This is being used in over 150 cases per month.</p></li><li><p>In December we launched a new 24/7 support line for victims of rape and sexual abuse, meaning every victim can now access free, confidential emotional support whenever and wherever they need it.</p></li><li><p>The police and Crown Prosecution Service are rolling out a new investigatory model for rape, which focuses on the suspect’s – rather than the victim’s – behaviour, called Operation Soteria. The model is now in operation across nineteen police forces with a national rollout planned to start from June 2023.</p></li></ul><p> </p><p>Overall, we have delivered on the vast majority of actions set out in the plan and continue to make steady and sustained progress towards this Government’s ambition to return volumes of cases being referred to the police, charged by the Crown Prosecution Service, and going to court to at least 2016 levels before the end of this parliament. The latest data shows that we are on track to meet each of these ambitions ahead of schedule:</p><ul><li><p>In October- December 2022, there were 1,079 total police referrals, more than double the 2019 quarterly average (461) and up by 41% compared to the 2016 quarterly average (766). Over the last quarter, total police referrals went up by 8% (999 to 1,079).</p></li><li><p>In October – December 2022 we recorded 472 CPS charges, nearly double the 2019 quarterly average (244),12% below the 2016 quarterly average (538). Over the last quarter CPS charges remained stable (473 to 472).</p></li><li><p>In October - December 2022 we recorded 509 Crown Court receipts, more than double the 2019 quarterly average (231),8% below the ambition of 553 per quarter. Over the last quarter, Crown Court receipts increased by 8% (from 473 to 509).</p></li></ul> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 17/05/2023 10:08:38 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1626158

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Rape: Trials
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 impact of the submission of pre-recorded evidence on accusers in rape case trials.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	184054
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>On 3 April 2023, the government published a process evaluation of the implementation of pre-recorded cross-examination (section 28) for intimidated witnesses, including survivors of rape and modern slavery (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/process-evaluation-of-section-28-evaluating-the-use-of-pre-recorded-cross-examination-for-intimidated-witnesses" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/process-evaluation-of-section-28-evaluating-the-use-of-pre-recorded-cross-examination-for-intimidated-witnesses</a>). The evaluation explored witness and practitioner views and experiences of section 28 to understand whether the provision was working as intended. The evaluation found that witnesses who used section 28 noted an improved experience compared to giving evidence live at trial.</p><p> </p><p>While we are unable to determine how many rape cases progressed specifically due to the section 28 provision as opposed to other factors, we know that 433 witnesses gave evidence via section 28 in adult rape cases between January 2021 and December 2022.</p><p> </p><p>The section 28 process evaluation did not analyse conviction and acquittal rates. However, MoJ are currently scoping an impact analysis of section 28 which is expected to cover conviction rates.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 184055 question first answered 17/05/2023 10:10:04 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1626159

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Rape: Trials
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 effect of the submission of pre-recorded evidence in rape trials on the (a) number of such cases brought to court and (b) number of convictions in such cases.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	184055
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>On 3 April 2023, the government published a process evaluation of the implementation of pre-recorded cross-examination (section 28) for intimidated witnesses, including survivors of rape and modern slavery (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/process-evaluation-of-section-28-evaluating-the-use-of-pre-recorded-cross-examination-for-intimidated-witnesses" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/process-evaluation-of-section-28-evaluating-the-use-of-pre-recorded-cross-examination-for-intimidated-witnesses</a>). The evaluation explored witness and practitioner views and experiences of section 28 to understand whether the provision was working as intended. The evaluation found that witnesses who used section 28 noted an improved experience compared to giving evidence live at trial.</p><p> </p><p>While we are unable to determine how many rape cases progressed specifically due to the section 28 provision as opposed to other factors, we know that 433 witnesses gave evidence via section 28 in adult rape cases between January 2021 and December 2022.</p><p> </p><p>The section 28 process evaluation did not analyse conviction and acquittal rates. However, MoJ are currently scoping an impact analysis of section 28 which is expected to cover conviction rates.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 184054 question first answered 17/05/2023 10:10:04 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1626164

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Sentencing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require prisoners to attend their sentencing hearing.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	184060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>The Government fully appreciates that an offender’s refusal to attend their sentencing hearing can cause anger and upset for victims and their families. We are looking carefully at changing the law so that offenders face up to their actions and victims can see justice being served.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 17/05/2023 10:16:54 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1626167

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Parole
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 potential impact of the Victims and Prisoners Bill on the parole system.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	184063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2023 answer text <p>The parole reforms in the Victims and Prisoners Bill will enshrine public protection as the only factor in release decisions for parole-eligible prisoners and introduce greater ministerial scrutiny to the release of the most serious offenders. These reforms will help to restore public confidence in the parole system and ensure dangerous offenders are not released onto our streets.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s Impact Assessment of these reforms has been published here: <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-03/0286/VictimsandPrisonersBillParoleImpact_Assessment_March23.pdf" target="_blank">https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-03/0286/VictimsandPrisonersBillParoleImpact_Assessment_March23.pdf</a> .</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 17/05/2023 10:20:47 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1626348

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Homicide
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report prepared for the Home Office by Analytics Cambridge and QE Assessments Ltd entitled Domestic Homicide Reviews: Quantitative Analysis of Domestic Homicide Reviews October 2020 – September 2021, published in June 2022, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the severity of punishments for domestic homicide.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	184069
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2023 answer text <p>In March 2023 this government published the independent Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review and announced that we will be changing the law so that sentencing reflects the severity of these crimes. We will introduce statutory aggravating factors to increase sentences for murderers with a history of controlling or coercive behaviour against the victim, and for murders involving ‘overkill’ which is the use of excessive or gratuitous violence beyond that necessary to kill. Building on our ban of the ‘rough sex defence’ in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, we also want to see longer sentences for perpetrators of so-called rough sex manslaughter and have requested that the Sentencing Council update their guidelines so that the courts can impose a higher sentence in these circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The Review makes a number of other recommendations which we are carefully considering, and our full response will be published before summer recess.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office commission the 'Quantitative Analysis of Domestic Homicide Reviews’ (DHR) reports by QE Assessments Ltd to share learning and insights from the DHR process. The cases reviewed in the QE Assessments report are likely to also feature in the cases reviewed by Clare Wade KC in the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar grouped question UIN 184368 question first answered 18/05/2023 15:21:18 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord