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1144351

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Magistrates' Courts: Closures
	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 of magistrates courts closures on (a) waiting times for cases to be heard and (b) the frequency with which cases are adjourned.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	286362
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service monitors waiting times and the proportion of cases which are completed at first hearing. There is no indication that either have been adversely affected by the closure of magistrates’ courts since 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The closure of a court is subject to public consultation and a decision to close is not taken lightly. In every case, the Lord Chancellor will only agree to close a court when satisfied that effective access to justice can be maintained.</p><p> </p><p>We are reinvesting every penny raised from selling these underused buildings into modernising the justice system to provide swifter and easier access to justice for all</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 09/09/2019 13:31:35 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1185905

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Crematoriums: Coronavirus
	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 capacity of crematoriums to cope with demand as a result of covid-19.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	30908
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2020 answer text <p>Government is putting in place a range of measures to ensure the UK is prepared to manage the impacts of a Covid-19 outbreak. Part of this planning is ensuring we are prepared for higher numbers of people dying over the period of the pandemic.</p><p>Ensuring the deceased are treated with dignity and respect whilst minimising the risks to public health is at the forefront of Government planning. Measures underway will increase capacity at a local level to manage additional demand.</p><p>The Government’s Action Plan (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan</a>) sets out planning principles that underpin the response to the Covid-19 outbreak. As part of this response, provisions have been included in the Coronavirus Bill which will ensure the sector can manage the impact of the pandemic.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 25/03/2020 17:02:11 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1204791

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Administration of Justice: Ethnic Groups
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to review racial inequalities in access to justice.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	60860
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2020 answer text <p>Access to justice is a fundamental right and one which this government is committed to protecting. We want people to have confidence in a justice system that is fair, open and accessible– one where no person faces discrimination and access to justice is available for all.</p><p>We undertake equalities assessments of the direct and indirect impact on racial inequality of policy changes we bring forward relating to access to justice, in line with our duties under the Equality Act 2010. In addition, we engage with stakeholders who represent particular communities to ensure our policy development remains alive to issues raised.</p><p>In response to the Lammy Review we have already committed to embedding a programme of work to address racial disparity within the Criminal Justice System, and we remain committed to addresses inequalities across the justice system, including in relation to access to justice.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 24/06/2020 16:08:09 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1244352

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Domestic Abuse
	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 potential barriers to justice encountered by survivors of domestic violence since the implementation of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012; and whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to improve access to justice for that group.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	105531
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2020 answer text <p>Under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), legal aid remains available for private family matters where there is evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse. The Post-Implementation Review of LASPO (PIR), published in February 2019, considered the impact of LASPO on victims of domestic abuse. In the Legal Support Action Plan, published alongside the PIR, we announced a review of the legal aid means tests, including a commitment to specifically considering the impact of the means test on victims of domestic abuse. This review will report in Spring 2021, at which point we will publish a full consultation paper setting out our future policy proposals in this area.</p><p>The government is absolutely clear that victims of domestic abuse must have access to the help that they need. The Government’s report ‘Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Children Cases’ published on 19 June 2019 further outlines an unwavering commitment to ensure domestic abuse survivors are better protected. This report acted as a springboard for further actions we are taking to protect and support domestic abuse victims and their children. The Domestic Abuse Bill has allowed us to enable the immediate changes called for in the report, creating a statutory definition of domestic abuse working to ensure that victims are protected and supported.</p><p>We recognise that victims of domestic abuse may need legal aid quickly in emergency situations, so there is already an eligibility cap waiver in place, which means that an applicant for a protective injunction may be eligible for legal aid even if they have income or capital above the thresholds in the means test, though they may have to pay a financial contribution towards their legal costs. In addition, we are providing £800,000 funding to the FLOWS project, run by RCJ Advice, who provide free legal support to victims of domestic abuse who wish to apply for an injunction from the courts.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk grouped question UIN 105532 question first answered 22/10/2020 16:20:48 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1244353

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Domestic Abuse
	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 whether the implementation of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 has caused an unintended bias in access to justice in favour of the abuser rather than the victim.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	105532
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2020 answer text <p>Under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), legal aid remains available for private family matters where there is evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse. The Post-Implementation Review of LASPO (PIR), published in February 2019, considered the impact of LASPO on victims of domestic abuse. In the Legal Support Action Plan, published alongside the PIR, we announced a review of the legal aid means tests, including a commitment to specifically considering the impact of the means test on victims of domestic abuse. This review will report in Spring 2021, at which point we will publish a full consultation paper setting out our future policy proposals in this area.</p><p>The government is absolutely clear that victims of domestic abuse must have access to the help that they need. The Government’s report ‘Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Children Cases’ published on 19 June 2019 further outlines an unwavering commitment to ensure domestic abuse survivors are better protected. This report acted as a springboard for further actions we are taking to protect and support domestic abuse victims and their children. The Domestic Abuse Bill has allowed us to enable the immediate changes called for in the report, creating a statutory definition of domestic abuse working to ensure that victims are protected and supported.</p><p>We recognise that victims of domestic abuse may need legal aid quickly in emergency situations, so there is already an eligibility cap waiver in place, which means that an applicant for a protective injunction may be eligible for legal aid even if they have income or capital above the thresholds in the means test, though they may have to pay a financial contribution towards their legal costs. In addition, we are providing £800,000 funding to the FLOWS project, run by RCJ Advice, who provide free legal support to victims of domestic abuse who wish to apply for an injunction from the courts.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk grouped question UIN 105531 question first answered 22/10/2020 16:20:48 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1244355

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Abuse
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many survivors of domestic violence have been ineligible for legal aid due to the capital means test since the implementation of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	105533
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2020 answer text <p>Legal aid is available to obtain an injunction to protect survivors of domestic violence, and this is not subject to any upper capital means limit; applicants cannot be found ineligible for this form of support.</p><p>Save for the above, whether someone is a survivor of domestic violence is not recorded for types of legal aid for other categories of law, eligibility for which would be subject to the applicable means and merits tests.</p><p>Some capital may be ‘disregarded’ for means assessment purposes in civil matters, for example to take into account equity in an applicant’s home, their outstanding mortgage, and instances where the property is in dispute. The first £3,000 of capital held (after all relevant ‘disregards’ have been applied) is also not assessed by the Legal Aid Agency in matters of civil law.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 22/10/2020 16:18:39 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1257267

	registered interest
	date	01/12/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Shared Ownership Schemes: Repossession Orders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many shared ownership properties have been repossessed in the last (a) five and (b) ten years in England.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	123690
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2020 answer text <p>The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost<em>.</em></p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 09/12/2020 17:49:18 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1362225

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Marriage
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has plans to bring forward legislative proposals to enable wedding celebrants to perform legally recognised marriages.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	60506
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission would conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of this review, the Law Commission will make recommendations regarding how provision could be made for the use of independent celebrants. The Government will consider the Law Commission’s recommendations carefully when received. It is right for us to await these recommendations.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 29/10/2021 16:34:15 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1506727

	registered interest
	date	20/09/2022
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Debt Collection: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is taking steps to help raise standards in the debt enforcement sector.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	51943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/09/2022 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice supports the creation of the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB) and believes that it has the potential to raise standards in the enforcement industry. It will provide independent oversight of debt enforcement firms and make a real difference by raising standards, improving effectiveness and helping to protect vulnerable people in debt.</p><p>We remain committed to strengthening regulation of this sector and will undertake a review of the body within two years of its operation to see if any legislative changes are necessary.</p><p>The ECB plans to launch its operations in England and Wales in November 2022.</p> answering member constituency Dartford answering member printed Gareth Johnson question first answered 27/09/2022 14:07:54 answering member 3970 label Biography information for Gareth Johnson
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury

1506729

	registered interest
	date	20/09/2022
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Enforcement Conduct Board
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing the Enforcement Conduct Board on a statutory footing.
	tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
	tabling member printed	Mike Amesbury
	uin	51944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2022 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice strongly supports the creation of the Enforcement Conduct Board, which will provide independent oversight of debt enforcement firms in order to raise standards and protect vulnerable people in debt.</p><p>We have committed to review, within two years of its operation, whether it is necessary to put it on a statutory footing.</p> answering member constituency Dartford answering member printed Gareth Johnson question first answered 23/09/2022 09:15:37 answering member 3970 label Biography information for Gareth Johnson
	tabling member	4667 label Biography information for Mike Amesbury