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1537361

registered interest
date	31/10/2022
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Non-molestation Orders
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 with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of increasing the period of time for which non-molestation orders can be issued.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Aaron Bell
uin	74983
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2022 answer text <p>Non-molestation orders are civil orders made by the family court to protect victims and their children from the harms of domestic abuse and there is no time limit on the duration of an order.</p><p>Non-molestation orders can be made for a specified time or until a further order is made. As non-molestation orders have no statutory minimum or maximum time limit, the duration of each order is at the discretion of the court. The duration of each order will be determined by a number of factors, including, the risks of further domestic abuse, whether the order was made on notice or without notice to the respondent, and whether there has been a follow-up hearing (known as a return hearing).</p><p>In practice, these orders are often made for a period of 6-12 months, during which time the order can be varied (including to extend it) or discharged.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 07/11/2022 12:49:26 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4837 label Biography information for Aaron Bell

1186560

registered interest
date	19/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Cemeteries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what economic assessment he has made of the effect of transferring closed burial grounds from the Church of England to local authorities.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Aaron Bell
uin	32213
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2020 answer text <p>Historically, the Church of England has made burial provision for local communities, and continues to do so. The transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities returns the accountability for their maintenance to the community as a whole. Local authority spending priorities are a matter for local discretion.</p><p>Data on the transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities is not held centrally.</p><p>The Law Commission’s current Programme of Law Reform includes a project to consider streamlining and modernising the law governing the disposal of human remains, with a view to putting forward a legal framework for the future.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk grouped question UIN 32214 32215 32216 question first answered 27/03/2020 10:07:22 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
tabling member	4837 label Biography information for Aaron Bell

1186561

registered interest
date	19/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Cemeteries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what funding is available for local authorities to maintain burial grounds.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Aaron Bell
uin	32214
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2020 answer text <p>Historically, the Church of England has made burial provision for local communities, and continues to do so. The transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities returns the accountability for their maintenance to the community as a whole. Local authority spending priorities are a matter for local discretion.</p><p>Data on the transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities is not held centrally.</p><p>The Law Commission’s current Programme of Law Reform includes a project to consider streamlining and modernising the law governing the disposal of human remains, with a view to putting forward a legal framework for the future.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk grouped question UIN 32213 32215 32216 question first answered 27/03/2020 10:07:22 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
tabling member	4837 label Biography information for Aaron Bell

1186562

registered interest
date	19/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Churches: Staffordshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many closed churchyards have been transferred from the Church of England to local authorities in Staffordshire since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Aaron Bell
uin	32215
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2020 answer text <p>Historically, the Church of England has made burial provision for local communities, and continues to do so. The transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities returns the accountability for their maintenance to the community as a whole. Local authority spending priorities are a matter for local discretion.</p><p>Data on the transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities is not held centrally.</p><p>The Law Commission’s current Programme of Law Reform includes a project to consider streamlining and modernising the law governing the disposal of human remains, with a view to putting forward a legal framework for the future.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk grouped question UIN 32213 32214 32216 question first answered 27/03/2020 10:07:22 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
tabling member	4837 label Biography information for Aaron Bell

1186563

registered interest
date	19/03/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Burial Act 1853
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 adequacy of the Burial Act 1854 and the financial effect of its provision on local authorities.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Aaron Bell
uin	32216
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2020 answer text <p>Historically, the Church of England has made burial provision for local communities, and continues to do so. The transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities returns the accountability for their maintenance to the community as a whole. Local authority spending priorities are a matter for local discretion.</p><p>Data on the transfer of responsibility for closed churchyards to local authorities is not held centrally.</p><p>The Law Commission’s current Programme of Law Reform includes a project to consider streamlining and modernising the law governing the disposal of human remains, with a view to putting forward a legal framework for the future.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk grouped question UIN 32213 32214 32215 question first answered 27/03/2020 10:07:22 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
tabling member	4837 label Biography information for Aaron Bell

1142877

registered interest
date	02/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Accommodation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the prison population.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	284391
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, which take into account the circumstances of the case, including any aggravating and mitigating factors. We are clear that sentencing must match the severity of a crime.</p><p> </p><p>Prison numbers can fluctuate, which is why we have a robust set of plans in place to ensure we will always have enough places for offenders sent to custody by the courts. The Prime Minister recently announced his ambition to transform the prison estate with an additional investment of £2.5 billion which will deliver 10,000 additional prison places.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 09/09/2019 11:39:17 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1143365

registered interest
date	02/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Children: Custody
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps he is taking to ensure the gender of a parent is not considered as a factor in custody cases.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	284885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>The legislative framework which governs family law proceedings about a child’s upbringing is gender neutral and focused on the welfare of the child involved.</p><p>The court is legally required to presume that the involvement of a parent in the life of the child will further that child’s welfare, unless there is evidence to the contrary. The nature of any parental involvement will be determined by the court based on all the available evidence.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 09/09/2019 15:15:27 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1143368

registered interest
date	02/09/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Children: Custody
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is taking steps to ensure that grandparents are ensured access to their grandchildren in custody cases.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	284831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Grandparents who are experiencing difficulties in spending time with their grandchildren following parental separation can seek the permission of the family court to apply for a child arrangements order. Experience suggests that grandparents would not usually experience any difficulty where their application is motivated by genuine concern for the welfare of the child.</p><p> </p><p>The law does not provide any absolute right for a grandparent, or indeed a parent, to be involved in a child’s life because it is the child’s welfare which is paramount in all court decisions about who a child lives with or spends time with. The court can, however, direct the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) to prepare a welfare report into the child’s circumstances, including the beneficial involvement in their life of significant adults such as grandparents.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 09/09/2019 15:39:35 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1139855

registered interest
date	17/07/2019
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 recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of uprating the financial thresholds for legal aid eligibility.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	278403
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>On 7 February 2019, the Government published its Legal Support Action Plan in which it announced a comprehensive review of the wider legal aid eligibility regime. The review will study the income and capital thresholds for legal aid entitlement and assess the effectiveness with which the means testing arrangements appropriately protect access to justice, particularly with respect to those who are vulnerable.</p><p> </p><p>The review is expected to conclude by Summer 2020 after which we will publish a full consultation paper setting out our future policy proposals in this area. We will seek to implement any final recommendations as soon as practicable following public consultation.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 22/07/2019 16:47:25 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1137847

registered interest
date	09/07/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the findings of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales Annual Report 2018-19, what steps he is taking to tackle (a) increased violence, (b) mental health problems and (c) drugs problems in prisons.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
uin	275135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We are taking urgent action to tackle violence in prisons, alongside reforms to overhaul the system to focus on the rehabilitation of offenders. Investment in additional prison officers and the introduction of Keyworkers enables prison officers to mentor, challenge and support a small caseload of prisoners away from violence and reoffending. The Challenge, Support and Intervention Plan (CSIP) has, since November 2018, been mandated for use in all establishments. CSIP provides a case management model to help staff to manage violent prisoners and those identified as posing a raised risk of being violent. Violence against our staff is unacceptable. The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act came into force on 13 November which has increased the penalty – from 6 to 12 months - for those who assault emergency workers including prison officers.</p><p> </p><p>In order to improve support for prisoners with mental health needs, we have rolled out improved suicide and self-harm prevention training and over 25,000 new and existing prison staff have completed some of this training. We have also awarded the Samaritans a grant of £500,000 each year for the next three years, to continue to support the Listeners’ scheme. For those prisoners requiring transfer to secure hospitals for mental health treatment, we are working collaboratively with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) to improve the transfer process. On 20<sup>th</sup> June we also announced the development of a Health and Justice Plan which will bring together a coherent, holistic picture of the full offender health journey, from the point of arrest through to release.</p><p> </p><p>Our Drugs Taskforce is working with law enforcement and health partners across government to restrict the supply of drugs, reduce demand and build recovery from substance misuse through the national Prison Drugs Strategy. We have invested £70 million to improve safety, security and decency, allowing us to fund new security scanners, improve searching techniques, and introduce phone-blocking technology. We have made it a criminal offence to possess psychoactive substances in prison and trained more than 300 sniffer dogs to detect these drugs. Additionally, our £9 million joint-funded Ministry of Justice, HMPPS, DHSC and NHSE Drug Recovery Prison pilot at HMP Holme House is testing and evaluating innovative approaches to tackle drugs in prison and help prisoners improve their chances of recovery.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 15/07/2019 16:46:22 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly