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178234

registered interest
date	05/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Approved Premises
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have undertaken of approved premises in England.
tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
uin	HL4700
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>We have not made a specific assessment of Approved Premises. As part of the Government’s Transforming Rehabilitation programme, we decided that Approved Premises should remain within the National Probation Service because of their focus on the supervision of high- and very high-risk offenders. That is because, for certain high risk offenders who have completed the custodial part of the sentence, requiring them to reside in an Approved Premises delivers more effective public protection than could be provided in alternative accommodation elsewhere in the community.</p><p> </p><p>A review of Approved Premises operations is now under way. Its aim is to promote greater consistency of practice and improve the efficient use of resources in the Approved Premises estate.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 19/02/2015 15:03:29 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

100577

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Reoffenders
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to identify whether a person recalled to custody has (1) a learning disability, and (2) an IQ of less than 80.
tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
uin	HL2314
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>No specific screening is carried out by probation staff for low IQ or for learning disability. However, the Offender Assessment System (OASys) makes specific reference to whether learning difficulties have been disclosed; in addition, it invites the offender manager to consider whether there is any evidence of speech, language or communication difficulties, as well as how these might be addressed. Each offender on licence will also have a risk management plan and sentence plan, where any learning difficulties should be identified and considered.</p><p> </p><p>During recall considerations, an offender manager must consider whether the offender’s behaviour indicates that they present an increased “risk of serious harm” (in terms of the OASys classifications) to the public or an imminent risk of further offences being committed. Recall must also be considered in cases where contact between the offender manager and the offender has broken down. Consideration may be given to the context and intent of the behaviour that breached the licence. Thus, the offender manager must consider whether the offender understood sufficiently the breached condition and its implications. Alternatively, the offender manager should consider whether the breach arose as a result of a lack of support. In considering these things, the offender manager should take into account learning difficulties, disabilities or a low IQ.</p><p> </p><p>We plan to introduce the ‘Basic Custody Screening Tool’ (BCST) to all prisons in January as part of the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme. Once this has rolled out, all offenders entering custody, including all those recalled to custody, will be asked whether they have a learning difficulty or disability; and if so, to specify the nature of the difficulty or disability. The answers will inform their resettlement plan.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 04/11/2014 16:23:53 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

100578

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Parole: Learning Disability
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to ensure reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities who are released from custody on licence so that the licence conditions are (1) necessary, and (2) proportionate.
tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
uin	HL2315
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>All offenders released from custody on licence are subject to six standard conditions. There are no exceptions. The standard licence conditions include requirements to keep in touch with their supervising officer, to seek permission prior to obtaining employment or moving address, and restrictions on travel outside the UK.</p><p> </p><p>It is also possible for additional conditions or restrictions to be placed upon the licence - for example, to prevent the offender in question from contacting a previous victim, or from visiting certain locations or premises. Any additional condition must be justified as being necessary for the effective management of the offender in question, as well as being proportionate to the risk the offender poses.</p><p> </p><p>The process for requesting and approving any additional conditions is the same for all offenders released on licence, so that the supervising officer may have specific regard to any offender with learning disabilities. If the supervising officer who manages the case considers that additional conditions are necessary and proportionate, they must request these of the Governing Governor of the releasing prison, or the Parole Board, whoever has responsibility for release in that case. The decision on whether to include such conditions rests with that authority.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 05/11/2014 17:35:25 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

100579

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Parole
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that, when a person with learning disabilities is released from custody on licence, the person understands (1) the licence conditions, (2) what is expected of them, and (3) the implications of non-compliance.
tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
uin	HL2316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>All those due to be released on licence must have explained to them the conditions of their licence, what they are required to do upon release, and the implications of non-compliance. This is explained by a member of the prison staff prior to release, with the offender asked to sign their licence to confirm that they have understood this. It is explained again following release, by their supervising officer from the probation service responsible for managing their licence. These requirements are set out clearly in Prison Service Instruction 18/2014, and Probation Instruction 11/2014.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Ministry of Justice has produced an ‘easy read’ guide to licences to enable staff to explain the licence conditions to those who have learning disabilities in as clear a way as possible. These documents contain simple text and illustrations to help the understanding of an offender who may otherwise have difficulty comprehending the requirements made of them on release.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 05/11/2014 17:32:28 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley