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1124051

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Knives: Crime
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of knife crime offences in England and Wales in 2018.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL15433
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2019 answer text <p>The Government is very concerned about increases in knife crime and its impact on victims, families and communities. The latest statistics published by the Office for National Statistics on 25 April for the year ending December 2018 show an increase of 6 per cent in police recorded knife crime.</p><p>The action we are taking to tackle knife crime is set out in our Serious Vio-lence Strategy and includes new legislation in the Offensive Weapons Bill to introduce Knife Crime Prevention Orders, to make it an offence to possess certain offensive weapons in private, and stopping knives being sent to residential addresses after they are bought online unless the seller has arrangements with a delivery company to verify age.</p><p>We are also raising awareness among young people of the dangers of carrying a knife through our national media campaign - #knifefree – and supporting early intervention through the £22 million Early Intervention Youth Fund, which is already supporting 29 local projects, and we have also introduced the £200 million Youth Endowment Fund, which will be delivered over the next 10 years to support interventions with children and young people at risk of involvement in crime and violence, focusing on those most at risk. The charity Impetus, working in partnership with the Early Intervention Foundation and Social Investment Business, is now operating the Fund We also continue to support the police national weeks of action under Operation Sceptre.</p><p>In addition, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Spring Statement on 13 March that there will be £100 million additional funding for the police in 2019/20 to tackle serious violence, including £80m of new funding from the Treasury. The majority of the investment will largely go towards supporting police forces most affected by the violence we are seeing, but the funding will also support Violence Reduction Units, bringing together a range of agencies, including health, education, social services and others, to develop a multi-agency approach to preventing serious violence.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 15/05/2019 14:05:58 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1124052

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Detection Rates
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reduction in the number of crimes solved by police.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL15434
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2019 answer text <p>The likelihood of a crime resulting in a charge and summons can vary for several reasons. Improved crime recording by the police has resulted in <br>increased caseloads and a changing crime mix. These include more complex crimes which take longer to receive an outcome, such as domestic abuse or sexual offences.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 15/05/2019 14:06:55 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1017374

registered interest
date	29/11/2018
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have made to address the issue of overcrowding in prisons.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL11934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2018 answer text <p>As part of prison reform, the long-term goal is to reduce crowding, while maintaining sufficient capacity in the prison estate to manage the demands of the courts and the sentenced population as efficiently as possible. This level is kept under constant review, considering fluctuations in the prison population and useable capacity across the estate. Prison governors ensure that the level of operational capacity is set to reflect the provision of safe and decent accommodation and the operation of suitable regimes and that levels of crowding in prisons are carefully managed.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to delivering up to 10,000 decent uncrowded prison places providing the physical conditions for Governors to achieve better educational, training and rehabilitative outcomes. We will reform and modernise our prison estate, starting with the construction of two new 1,680-place prisons at the former HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Glen Parva and former HM Prison Wellingborough as well as a new houseblock at HM Prison Stocken which will create 206 modern prison places and is expected to open in early 2019. In July 2018, The Verne, a former HM Prison and Probation Service operated immigration removal centre in Dorset, reopened as a prison and can hold up to 580 offenders.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 06/12/2018 15:48:28 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1017375

registered interest
date	29/11/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Sentencing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure sentencing of offenders is cost-effective and provides value for money for taxpayers.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL11935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2018 answer text <p>Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. When deciding what sentence to impose the courts take into account the circumstances of each case in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing Council. The Council has a statutory duty to produce resource assessments when it publishes its draft guidelines, as well as an assessment each year of the impact of sentencing practice on the resources required for the provision of prison places, probation and youth justice services.</p><p> </p><p>There is persuasive evidence that community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective in reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. In the event that a community order is imposed, courts have the flexibility to select requirements that provide opportunities to address the specific issues which contribute to a risk of re-offending. For example, treatment requirements enable access to specialist help with mental health or substance misuse problems, whilst electronically monitored curfews can provide stability and structure in offenders’ lives while maintaining family ties, accommodation or employment.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to sentencing, the National Probation Service will conduct an assessment of the offender, covering their circumstances and the reasons for their offending. NPS staff will then advise the court on the sentencing options which are likely to be most effective in managing risk and tackling the problems which are leading to offending. The NPS are taking steps to improve the quality of this advice by rolling out the Effective Proposal Tool, which helps NPS staff identify the interventions that match the assessed risks and rehabilitative needs in each case, and aims to be supported by detailed information on the range of locally available interventions and services. We recently consulted on what more we can do to improve the effectiveness of pre-sentence advice as part of the ‘Strengthening Probation, Improving Confidence’ consultation. The Government will publish its response in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie grouped question UIN HL11936 question first answered 13/12/2018 14:13:02 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1017376

registered interest
date	29/11/2018
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Sentencing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their response to the House of Commons Justice Committee report, Cutting crime: the case for justice reinvestment, published in March 2010 (Cm 7819), what steps they have taken to make sentencing more evidence-based and non-partisan.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL11936
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2018 answer text <p>Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. When deciding what sentence to impose the courts take into account the circumstances of each case in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing Council. The Council has a statutory duty to produce resource assessments when it publishes its draft guidelines, as well as an assessment each year of the impact of sentencing practice on the resources required for the provision of prison places, probation and youth justice services.</p><p> </p><p>There is persuasive evidence that community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective in reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. In the event that a community order is imposed, courts have the flexibility to select requirements that provide opportunities to address the specific issues which contribute to a risk of re-offending. For example, treatment requirements enable access to specialist help with mental health or substance misuse problems, whilst electronically monitored curfews can provide stability and structure in offenders’ lives while maintaining family ties, accommodation or employment.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to sentencing, the National Probation Service will conduct an assessment of the offender, covering their circumstances and the reasons for their offending. NPS staff will then advise the court on the sentencing options which are likely to be most effective in managing risk and tackling the problems which are leading to offending. The NPS are taking steps to improve the quality of this advice by rolling out the Effective Proposal Tool, which helps NPS staff identify the interventions that match the assessed risks and rehabilitative needs in each case, and aims to be supported by detailed information on the range of locally available interventions and services. We recently consulted on what more we can do to improve the effectiveness of pre-sentence advice as part of the ‘Strengthening Probation, Improving Confidence’ consultation. The Government will publish its response in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie grouped question UIN HL11935 question first answered 13/12/2018 14:13:03 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1017377

registered interest
date	29/11/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Secure Psychiatric Units
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the lack of secure NHS facilities for offenders who are suffering from mental illness.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL11937
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>We recognise that there are high numbers of people in prison with mental ill health, and it is essential that they are treated in the most appropriate environment for their needs.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst some prisoners may be mentally unwell, and despite sometimes complex emotional and behavioural needs, it may not be clinically appropriate for them to be transferred to a mental health inpatient bed. There may be other services more appropriate to their needs that can be delivered outside inpatient mental health facilities.</p><p> </p><p>However, work is underway to improve mental health services for offenders. NHS England is focussing on an offender mental health pathway which will ensure that offenders are directed to the most appropriate intervention to their needs at the right time in the criminal justice system.</p><p> </p><p>NHS England is carrying out a service review across all adult high, medium and low secure services. The service review is considering a number of issues including the future demand and capacity required against a number of criteria, levels of security, gender, service type and geographical location. A detailed understanding of difficulties in the system in relation to remissions from hospital to prison is being considered so that access, egress and throughput are all improved. This is vital to ensuring that the appropriate capacity is planned for the future.</p><p> </p><p>New service specifications have been published for both low and medium secure hospitals as well as prison mental health services. The Prison Mental Health Specification embeds the Quality Standards for Prison Mental Health Services developed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to ensure high quality care for all. Draft Guidance for Timely and Appropriate Transfers and Remissions of care to and from a mental health hospital is currently in production.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord O'Shaughnessy question first answered 10/12/2018 14:43:57 answering member 4545 label Biography information for Lord O'Shaughnessy
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1017378

registered interest
date	29/11/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Health Services: Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the care needs of the increasing number of older prisoners held in high security facilities.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL11938
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>NHS England is responsible for commissioning physical and mental health care in the high security hospitals in England.</p><p> </p><p>The hospitals provide a range of services tailored towards an individual patient’s needs, which includes the care needs of older patients. Each patient has an individualised care plan which includes consideration of age and physical care needs. Occupational therapists lead on the assessment of physical disability and on addressing issues with appropriate aids and adaptations to suit the specific needs of each patient.</p> answering member printed Lord O'Shaughnessy question first answered 10/12/2018 14:44:36 answering member 4545 label Biography information for Lord O'Shaughnessy
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1017379

registered interest
date	29/11/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Migrants: Detainees
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the conditions of immigration detainees who are being detained for indeterminate lengths of time due to a lack of appropriate alternative accommodation.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL11939
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2018 answer text <p>The Government treats detainee welfare as a matter of the utmost seriousness and expects the highest standards from those who manage the detention estate on its behalf. Conditions at all detention facilities, are kept under regular review. Independent scrutiny is a vital part of assurance that our removal centres are secure and humane. We will continue to implement actions in response to recommendations made by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and by the individual centre’s Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in their published reports</p><p>Any asylum seeker, including foreign national offenders released from de-tention on bail, can apply for accommodation and other support if they would otherwise be destitute.</p><p>Asylum seekers who require support are housed where there is appropriate accommodation available. Agreements between the Government and participating local authorities are voluntary and our dispersal policy ensures a reasonable spread amongst UK local authorities</p><p>Decisions about accommodation and detention are made on a case by case basis. We work closely with the Police, HM Prison and Probation service to source and offer suitable accommodation as quickly as possible when it is required.</p><p>We are aware of some cases that are waiting for accommodation to be allocated and we are working closely with the accommodation providers, Police and HM Prison and Probation Service to source suitable accommodation. These are complex cases, as they relate mostly to Foreign National Offenders who have specific accommodation needs and restrictions that must be met before they can be released safely from detention.</p><p>Detention and removal of those with no lawful basis to stay in the UK are essential parts of effective immigration controls. However, we do not detain individuals indefinitely when people are detained, it is for the minimum time possible and detention is reviewed on a regular basis.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 13/12/2018 13:35:23 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

1017066

registered interest
date	28/11/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Trespass
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to combat the unauthorised urban exploration of and criminal trespassing in high profile buildings.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL11911
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>The police have a range of powers to deal with criminal activity, which includes public order offences, aggravated trespass and anti social behaviour. There are also measures that can be taken to combat trespass through civil courts. When criminal activity does occur, the decision whether to arrest individuals is an operational matter for the police in line with their duties to keep the peace, to protect communities, and to prevent the commission of offences.</p><p>The Home Office keep the available police powers under constant review and work closely with National Police Leads to ensure they are fit for purpose and allow the police to respond appropriately to a range of offences.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 12/12/2018 17:10:02 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington

916623

registered interest
date	04/06/2018
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Addictions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following reports that £162 million has been cut from drug and alcohol treatment budgets in England since 2013–14, what plans they have made to ensure effective treatment and care is provided for people affected by alcoholism and other addictions.
tabling member printed	Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
uin	HL8319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2018 answer text <p>The Government has committed £16 billion in funding to local councils over the current five year spending review period to tackle public health issues which includes alcohol and drug treatments. Any decisions on the commissioning of effective drug and alcohol prevention and treatment services are the responsibility of local authorities based on an assessment of local need, however public health grant conditions make it clear that they must have regard for the need to improve the take up of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol misuse treatment services.</p> answering member printed Lord O'Shaughnessy question first answered 18/06/2018 11:58:08 answering member 4545 label Biography information for Lord O'Shaughnessy
tabling member	3733 label Biography information for Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington