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1138673

registered interest
date	12/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
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 not-for-profit legal aid providers that have closed in each year for the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	276509
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The LAA does not hold data on Not For Profit (NfP) organisation closures, only whether they hold a contract to deliver legal aid services. Under the LAA’s contracting regime, an organisation may be contracted to deliver services from one or multiple offices. Contracts may be ended by either party; providers may choose to withdraw from the whole contract, an office or a category of law or the LAA may take action should a provider breach its contract obligations. All contracted providers make their own commercial decisions and withdrawal from a legal aid contract may not be as a result of a closure. For example, NfPs may withdraw from a legal aid contract but continue to operate reliant on other funding, or may choose to consolidate offices but continue to deliver larger volumes of work across a wider area. The table below shows the number of NfP providers (at office level) holding a legal aid contract in any given year. While NfP organisations play a role in helping people access justice, they are not the sole means. We have 1,439 organisations delivering legal aid contracts across the England and Wales – 1,356 of which are with legal firms rather than the not-for-profit sector which includes law centres. We spent £1.6 billion on legal aid last year and in addition to the Civil Legal Advice Telephone service, we are investing £5m in innovative technologies to help people access legal support wherever they are. <table><tbody><tr><td colspan="11"><p>Financial Year</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>2015/16</p></td><td><p>2016/17</p></td><td><p>2017/18</p></td><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>2019 September</p></td><td><p>2019/20</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>596</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>495</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>456</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>395</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>397</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>320</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>311</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>295</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>285</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>233</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>213</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/07/2019 15:50:20 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1138145

registered interest
date	10/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Housing
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 local authority areas that do not have a housing legal aid provider in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	275673
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The LAA commissions services on a ‘Procurement Area’ basis. Procurement Areas align to one or a number of combined local authority areas and have been developed based on various local factors.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals are not limited to accessing legal advice providers in the Procurement Area where they live and may access services from providers located in neighbouring local authorities, or at other contracted legal advice providers located locally.</p><p> </p><p>The LAA has recently tendered for new face-to-face housing contracts across the 134 housing and debt procurement areas across England and Wales. As of 30 June 2019, there is at least one provider offering housing and debt services in all but 4 procurement areas, and the LAA is considering how to secure provision in these areas and will set out next steps shortly.</p><p> </p><p>Legal advice is still available in these areas through the Civil Legal Advice telephone service and irrespective of a client’s location in England and Wales, legal advice for housing remains available through a telephone service as well.</p><p> </p><p>The following table shows the number of providers in each of the locations enquired about, and the number of procurement areas which fall within each.</p><p> </p><p>The Legal Aid Agency keeps availability of legal support under constant review and takes urgent action whenever it has concerns.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Geographical Location</p></td><td><p># of Procurement Areas</p></td><td><p># of Providers</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>London</p></td><td><p>30</p></td><td><p>235</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other</p></td><td><p>96</p></td><td><p>212</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>This government spent £1.6 billion on legal aid last year and in addition to the Civil Legal Advice Telephone service, we are investing £5m in innovative technologies to help people access legal support wherever they are.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 15/07/2019 16:06:15 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1136586

registered interest
date	03/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Females: Prisoners
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 trends in the level of training for prison officers working with women with a mental health need.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	272741
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>All Prison Officers complete the Prison Officer Entry Level Training which includes sessions on mental heallth, self-harm and suicide and personality disorder. There has very recently been the development of a new course specifically for the female estate called POWER – Positive Outcomes for Women: Empowerment &amp; Rehabilition. This is a two-day programme and is due to be rolled out shortly across the estate. One of the modules specifically refers to mental health in the female estate, with an aim to ensure delegates gain an overview of the mental health needs of female offenders and how this impacts on offending – including understanding the main disorders found in women in prison; the challenges caused by psychosis and schizophrenia; and explores the personality disorder pathway and personality disorder services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 08/07/2019 16:45:14 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

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

1132022

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Television Licences: Non-payment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have received a custodial sentence for failure to pay the television license fee in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	264316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2019 answer text <p>Failure to pay television licence fees is not an imprisonable offence. However, courts have power to commit to prison for failure to pay criminal fines, which can be imposed for non-payment of television licence fees.</p><p>The number of committals to prison imposed in the last five years for failure to pay fines imposed for non-payment of the BBC licence fee can be viewed in the table.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 18/06/2019 16:53:07 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland attachment 1 file name PQ 264316_final.xlsx title Table
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1129670

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Alternatives to Prison
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 increase the use of alternatives to prison sentences.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	259852
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>There is a case to abolish or restrict the use of sentences of six months or less, with some exceptions, and we are working towards having firm proposals by the summer.</p><p>The sentencing framework already gives courts the flexibility to select community order requirements which are a robust alternative to custody, and are tailored to address the specific issues that contribute to reoffending. Community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective in reducing reoffending, and therefore keeping the public safe. We must ensure the public and judiciary have confidence in effective community orders, including those which address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and substance misuse needs and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p><p>Confidence in community sentences starts with confidence in the probation services that deliver them and our probation reforms are designed to achieve this. Bringing all offender management responsibilities under the National Probation Service and having a more clearly defined role for the private and voluntary sectors in delivering interventions are intended to strengthen sentencer and public confidence in probation. Our changes will also ensure a wider range of rehabilitative programmes, so that courts can better tailor community sentences to the individual needs of offenders.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 10/06/2019 14:26:49 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1129672

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
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 merits of ending the use of prison sentences of less than eight weeks duration.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	259853
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>There is a case to abolish or further restrict the use of sentences of six months or less, with some exceptions, and we are working towards having firm proposals by the summer.</p><p>There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other similar people given community orders.</p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 10/06/2019 14:41:47 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1124216

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Rape: British Nationals Abroad
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 bringing forward legislative proposals to enable allegations of rape committed abroad by UK citizens to be investigated and prosecuted in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	249836
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>Existing law already provides for a UK national or a UK resident accused of raping a person under the age of 18 abroad to be brought to trial in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The draft Domestic Abuse Bill includes provision to extend the jurisdiction of our courts to offences of rape committed abroad against a victim aged 18 or over as required by the Istanbul Convention.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 08/05/2019 16:40:22 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham