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1135845

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
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, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the penalties incurred for knife crime.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	271405
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>For possession or threatening with an offensive weapon or possession of an article with a blade or point offences, offenders are now more likely to receive an immediate custodial sentence for a knife and offensive weapon offence and to go to prison for longer than at any point over the past 10 years. In the year ending March 2019 over a third (37%) of offences resulted in immediate custody, compared to 22% in the year ending March 2009. The average length of immediate custodial sentences has increased from 5.5 months in the year ending March 2009 to 8.1 months in the year ending March 2019. This is the highest since the series began.</p><p>There are a range of offences available to prosecute knife crime and Parliament has set penalties that are proportionate to the nature of these serious offences.</p><p> </p><p>Unlawful possession of a knife or offensive weapon in public is a serious criminal offence with a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment. Since 2015, adults convicted of threatening with a knife in public, or for second or subsequent knife possession face a minimum sentence of 6 months’ imprisonment and young people aged 16 or 17 face a minimum sentence of a 4 month Detention and Training Order. Courts can only depart from minimum sentencing if the court considers would be unjust in all the circumstances to impose these terms.</p><p> </p><p>Where someone is physically injured by a knife or offensive weapon there are a range of other offences, such as causing grievous bodily harm, that the person may be charged with. These can result in lengthy determinate sentences or life imprisonment. In England and Wales, all murder convictions for adults must result in a life sentence, and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 sets out a starting point of a minimum term in prison of 25 years for offenders aged 18 and over who bring a knife or another weapon to the scene of a murder with the intention of using it.</p><p> </p><p>It is already the case that for offences where the possession or use of a knife or offensive weapon is not inherent to the offence or charged separately, possession will be treated as an aggravating factor, which increases the seriousness of the offence. This is outlined in several sentencing guidelines produced by the independent Sentencing Council.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 04/07/2019 16:32:25 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1135566

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Officers: Vaccination
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has plans in place to ensure the urgent availability of immunisation against Hepatitis for all prison personnel; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	270729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2019 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA), all employers must provide (so far as is reasonably practicable) a safe place of work and safe systems of work. This includes HM Prison and Probation Service for public sector prisons, and G4S/Sodexo/Serco for privately managed prisons.HM Prison and Probation Service offers and provides Hepatitis B vaccinations, followed by all required vaccination courses and/or blood tests, to ensure staff are protected at work. These are administered by our Occupational Health supplier, Optima Health, for Prison Officers, First Aid Officers and Operational Support grade staff across public sector prisons in England and Wales. The majority of public sector prisons have received Hepatitis B immunisation clinics in 2019. The remaining establishments will receive their clinics in the next few months. Human resources arrangements in privately managed prisons, including offering and providing Hepatitis B vaccinations, are the responsibility of providers. There is no preventative vaccine to protect against Hepatitis C. Therefore, post exposure management such as immediate first aid followed by appropriate risk assessment, is essential. Staff in public sector prisons receive education and training on safe systems of work, universal precautions, hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment in relation to dealing with body fluids at work. Use of blood spillage kits are used by trained individuals only.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Occupational health (OH) intervention in HMPPS includes provision of immediate and clinical advice by specialist nurses following suspected and actual blood to blood exposure incidents for staff at all levels via a HMPPS 24/7 telephone advice line.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 03/07/2019 16:57:03 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1090904

registered interest
date	18/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Transfers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of prisons ignoring advice from medical professionals that a prisoner be put on medical hold rather than transferred; and what estimate he has made of the number instances of that practice in HMP Preston in the last three years.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	233498
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2019 answer text <p>There are complex and wide-ranging issues involved in transferring prisoners, and allocation decisions must reflect both the specific needs and circumstances of the prisoner, as well as the operating environment and range of services at the receiving prison.</p><p> </p><p>All prisons in England and Wales are required to maintain the continuity of health care for prisoners, in accordance with Prison Service Order 3050. This can be found at <a href="https://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psos" target="_blank">https://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/psos</a>. No assessment or estimate has been made by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service in relation to allegations that HMP Preston have disregarded medical advice. However, prisoners are able to raise disputes via local procedures which will be investigated accordingly.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 21/03/2019 14:23:49 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

982750

registered interest
date	08/10/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Wymott Prison: Crimes of Violence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on a recent assault made on a prison officer at HMP Wymott involving a prisoner throwing boiling water at that officer; and what steps he is taking to protect prison officers from such assaults.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	176117
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2018 answer text <p>While I cannot comment on individual cases, I would like to reassure The hon. Member for West Lancashire, Rosie Cooper MP, and the prison officer involved that assaults on our hard-working staff will never be tolerated. Prisoners can expect to face sanctions and, for serious assaults, be investigated by the police. The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 received Royal Assent on 13 September 2018. This doubles the maximum sentence for an assault on an emergency worker, including prison officers, that a criminal court may impose.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside our work with the police and CPS to prosecute such offences, to protect our prison staff we have invested in 5,600 body-worn cameras and are rolling out rigid-bar handcuffs. Early next year we will begin to equip every prison officer in the adult male prison estate with incapacitant spray – PAVA. PAVA can help to prevent serious harm to staff and prisoners alike, as well as being a tool to persuade prisoners in the act of violence to stop. Only prisons who have rolled out the key worker scheme – which is vital in building relationships between offenders and staff – will get PAVA. It will be a crucial step in our efforts to help reduce serious harm in prisons.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 11/10/2018 16:33:38 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

973297

registered interest
date	13/09/2018
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 effectiveness of the Government's Drugs Taskforce on improving the safety and healthcare of prisoners.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	174648
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2018 answer text <p>Our Drugs Taskforce, which works with law enforcement and health partners across government, was launched earlier this year and so it is too early to see its full impact. However, it is already working with ten of the most challenging prisons to understand their situation and will invest £6 million to tackle drug supply in these establishments. We will enhance physical security and invest in more staff focused on effective searching, drug detection dogs, body scanners, and improved perimeter defences. We will monitor and assess the progress made in these ten prisons to inform our approach and best practice across the estate.</p><p> </p><p>The Drugs Taskforce is also developing a national Drug Strategy, underpinned by advice and guidance that will support the whole of the estate to restrict supply, reduce demand and build recovery.</p><p> </p><p>We are also adopting pioneering approaches such as our ‘Drug Recovery Prison’ pilot at HMP Holme House, which is leading the way in tackling the supply of drugs and helping prisoners to lead a drug-free life.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 09/10/2018 16:36:51 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

971306

registered interest
date	10/09/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Health Professions
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 average time taken for security clearance for healthcare professionals applying for roles in prison.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	172641
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>I refer the member to PQs 168027 and 168033, both answered on 10 September 2018.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 13/09/2018 16:12:04 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

938537

registered interest
date	11/07/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Criminal Proceedings: Legal Aid Scheme
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 on the effect of reductions in the level of funding for Criminal Legal Aid on the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of Criminal Law Practitioners.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	163046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2018 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 160749 on the 9th July.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 16/07/2018 13:26:28 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

927788

registered interest
date	20/06/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Insurance: Liability
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 on the implications for the public liability claims handling process of the non-disclosure by organisations of their public liability insurer.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	155727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2018 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has no any plans to carry out such an assessment. A prospective claimant may be able to obtain information about insurance cover held by a prospective defendant under the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010 if the defendant is insolvent or in other similar circumstances covered by that Act and under Part 31 of the Civil Procedure Rules, which permits the court to order the pre-action disclosure of documents in appropriate cases.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 25/06/2018 15:24:19 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

890332

registered interest
date	24/04/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Insurance: Liability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the implications for the public liability claims handling process of the non-disclosure by organisations of their public liability insurer.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	137507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2018 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Justice has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the implications of the decision of the High Court in <em>Peel Port Shareholder Finance Co v Dornoch Ltd </em>[2017] EWHC 876 (TCC) for the conduct of legal proceedings in relation to which the defendant may have public liability insurance.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 17/05/2018 17:24:07 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer previous answer version 54714 answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

846255

registered interest
date	21/02/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Liverpool Prison
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoner deaths have occurred in HMP Liverpool in each month of the last four years.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	128930
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2018 answer text <p>Data on deaths in prison custody is published quarterly in the Safety in Custody statistics. The most recent statistics were published on 25 January 2018 and cover deaths in prison custody to December 2017. They can be viewed at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/676154/deaths-data-tool.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/676154/deaths-data-tool.xlsx</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Government takes very seriously its responsibility to keep prisoners safe. We have established a prison safety programme that includes a comprehensive set of actions, including: rolling out revised and improved training for staff in assessing and managing the risk of suicide and self-harm amongst prisoners; improving support for prisoners in their early days in custody; revising the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork case management process for those identified as being at risk; and funding the Samaritans to provide their valuable Listeners Scheme.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 26/02/2018 17:48:25 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper