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155535

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners: LGBT+ People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate he has made of the number of prisoners declaring themselves to be lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered.
	tabling member constituency	Hackney North and Stoke Newington
	tabling member printed	Ms Diane Abbott
	uin	214231
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The number of prisoners in England and Wales broken down by sexual orientation as at 26 September 2014 is shown in the table below:</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table: Headcount of prisoners by Sexual Orientation as at 26 September 2014</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Sexual Orientation</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Headcount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Other</p></td><td><p>1779</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Heterosexual / Straight</p></td><td><p>63738</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Not Asked/Refused to State</p></td><td><p>20117</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Grand Total</p></td><td><p>85634</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Transgender Prisoners with a Gender Recognition Certificate are recorded on administrative systems as their legal gender. In accordance with the Gender Recognition Act of 2004 and the Equality Act 2010, transgender individuals are not identified as being transgender on administrative systems.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 10:20:51 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	172 label Biography information for Ms Diane Abbott

155549

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Travel
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what total amount his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) the Government Car and Despatch Agency and (b) other car hire in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.
	tabling member constituency	Salisbury
	tabling member printed	John Glen
	uin	214279
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>(a) This information has already been published and can be found at:</p><p> </p><p>(i) <a title="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm" href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm" target="_blank">http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm</a></p><p>(ii) <a title="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm" href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm" target="_blank">http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm</a></p><p>(iii) <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101028/wmstext/101028m0001.htm#10102827000372" target="_blank">http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101028/wmstext/101028m0001.htm#10102827000372</a></p><p> </p><p>(b) To provide the ministerial spend for the other car hire will incur disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>Under this Government the number of ministerial cars in the Department has fallen from four to one and the cost to the taxpayer reduced by 91%.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 10/02/2015 13:02:33 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4051 label Biography information for John Glen

156058

	registered interest
	date	17/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Reoffenders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of all recalls to prison have been fixed term recalls in each year since their introduction.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	214735
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>A fixed-term recall is one where an offender on licence is recalled for a 28 day period before being automatically re-released. It is available only to those offenders on licence who are not assessed as presenting a high risk of harm to the public. Offenders who are assessed as presenting a high risk of harm are not eligible to receive a fixed-term recall and will be given a standard recall, under which they can remain in custody, potentially, until the end of their sentence. They will be released before the end of their sentence only if the Parole Board or Secretary of State is satisfied they no longer need to be detained to protect the public.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory provisions for fixed-term recalls were included in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 and commenced in July 2008. The provisions were amended by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 and commenced in December 2012. The amendments were designed to provide offender managers with additional flexibility to determine whether a fixed-term recall was the appropriate way to respond to an offender’s breach of his licence conditions, notwithstanding that he had been given a fixed-term recall on a previous occasion.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is introducing a new test, in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, which must be applied to determine the type of recall given to an offender and to decide whether to re-release a recalled offender. The new test will ensure that any offender who has abused a fixed-term recall previously and persistently and wilfully refused to comply with his licence conditions will not receive a further fixed-term recall. The test will guide offender managers, so that all relevant considerations are taken into account before a decision is taken on the type of recall appropriate to deal with the breach of licence conditions. It will also ensure that a fixed-term recall is given only where we can be satisfied that the offender can be effectively managed when released after 28 days.</p><p> </p><p>The proportion of all recalls to prison that were fixed term given in the calendar years from 2008 is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Calendar year</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>Fixed Term Recall (FTR)</p></td><td><p>Proportion of Total Recalls which were FTRs</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014 (to June)</p></td><td><p>8412</p></td><td><p>3569</p></td><td><p>42%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>17330</p></td><td><p>7280</p></td><td><p>42%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>16481</p></td><td><p>5124</p></td><td><p>31%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>16227</p></td><td><p>4532</p></td><td><p>28%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>15479<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>4293<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>28%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>14,719<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>3,979<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>27%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008<sup>2</sup></p></td><td><p>13,554<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>1,722<sup>1</sup></p></td><td><p>13%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><sup>1</sup> denotes data that has not been published. It has been taken from a live database and as such, it is subject to change.</p><p> </p><p><sup>2</sup> the proportion of recalls which were FTRs in 2008 reflects that the FTR was available only from July 2008.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 19/01/2015 18:11:48 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

166392

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of the prison population was in jail for (a) sex-related offences, (b) vehicle crime, (c) violent crime, (d) drug-related offences, (e) benefit-related fraud and (f) non-benefit-related fraud in each year since 2005.
	tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
	tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
	uin	216063
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Crime is falling and under this Government more offenders are going to prison and for longer. In 2012 the law was changed to introduce an automatic life sentence for a second very serious sexual or violent offence and there are several measures to strengthen sentencing in this area in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, currently going through Parliament.</p><p> </p><p>These include ending automatic half-way point release for criminals convicted of child rape and ensuring that all dangerous offenders who receive the tough Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS) are no longer automatically released two-thirds of the way through their custodial term. The Government has also banned the use of simple cautions for serious offences.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Information on the number of offenders in prison by offence group in England and Wales is published routinely in the ‘Offender Management Statistics Quarterly bulletin’ and can be found in Table A1.4 of the annual prison population tables. Copies of the current publication and those of previous years are available from the Library of the House and via the following link:</p><p><a title="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/339036/prison-population-2014.xls" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/339036/prison-population-2014.xls" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/339036/prison-population-2014.xls</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 03/12/2014 17:35:39 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

156397

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners' Release
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were transferred from open conditions to closed conditions who had previously (a) absconded or escaped from prison and (b) breached a licence condition whilst released on temporary licence following the recent review of release on temporary licence.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	214968
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>In March, we announced a package of measures to ensure that the public was properly protected with respect to the offenders being held in open conditions. Absconds and escapes have reached record lows under this Government, and we take each incident seriously. As a result of a comprehensive review, we have made major changes to tighten the eligibility criteria for open prisons. Prisoners may no longer be transferred to open conditions or allowed out on temporary release if they have previously absconded, escaped, attempted to escape, or if they have failed to return or have re-offended whilst released on temporary licence, unless there are exceptional circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>A total of 115 cases were assessed centrally by a panel comprised of NOMS senior managers, including representation from both prisons and probation. Cases were reviewed where there was a history, on the current sentence, of abscond; escape or attempted escape; or an offence committed whilst on temporary release. 9 of these prisoners were returned to closed conditions as a result. Local risk reviews were directed on a further 14 offenders, with 2 returned to closed conditions following review.</p><p> </p><p>As part of business as usual, open prisons return prisoners to closed conditions where they judge that they can no longer be managed safely in open conditions. Figures for this ongoing process are not included here.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 10/02/2015 13:21:19 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

156410

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoner Escapes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners who escaped or absconded from prison in the last year for which figures are available had previously escaped or absconded from prison.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	214939
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 answer text <p /> <p>In March, we announced a package of measures to ensure that the public was properly protected. Absconds and escapes have reached record lows under this Government, but we take each incident seriously. As a result of a comprehensive review, we have made major changes to tighten the eligibility for open prisons. Prisoners may no longer be transferred to open conditions or allowed out on temporary release if they have previously absconded, escaped, attempted to escape, or if they have failed to return or have re-offended whilst released on temporary licence, unless there are exceptional circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The change in policy for eligibility for open conditions was not applied retrospectively: the majority of these offenders who were already in open conditions were allowed to remain. However, any prisoners who were assessed to present an unacceptable risk in such conditions in light of their previous non-compliance were returned to closed prisons.</p><p> </p><p>Progression to open prison is never automatic. All prisoners undergo regular, mandatory assessment of their risk of escape or abscond and risk of harm to the public. Only those who are assessed as having an acceptable level of risk for conditions of lower security can be allocated to open prison.</p><p> </p><p>As at 31 March 2014, there were no prisoners held in open prisons who had absconded or escaped on more than one occasion between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2014.</p><p> </p><p>There were 13 prisoners who, in the year ending 31 March 2014, either escaped or absconded from prison, having previously done so between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Data on escapes and absconds, prior to 1 April 2010 could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost due to changes in recording practice.</p><p> </p><p>As part of business as usual, open prisons return prisoners to closed conditions where they judge that they can no longer be managed safely in open conditions. Figures for this ongoing process are not included here.</p><p> </p><p>These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 03/02/2015 10:01:35 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

166397

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Community Rehabilitation Companies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the companies offering guarantees to support Community Rehabilitation companies are (a) in the third sector and (b) private companies.
	tabling member constituency	Chesterfield
	tabling member printed	Toby Perkins
	uin	216062
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Information regarding Parent Company Guarantees, including the identity of guarantors, is commercially sensitive information relating to bidder proposals and cannot be disclosed while the competition is ongoing.</p><p> </p><p>However I can confirm that we have a healthy diverse market in the competition to establish the eventual owners of the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies. There has been strong competition in all regions, with over 80 bids received and an average of four bidders for each area. Following rigorous assessment eight Preferred Bidders have been selected. In 19 of the 21 areas a mutual or VCSE is involved in the Tier 1 bid or as a strategic partner, and six of the Community Rehabilitation Companies will be run with the involvement of a probation staff mutual. The list of Preferred Bidders can be accessed via the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/transforming-rehabilitation/competition" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov.uk/transforming-rehabilitation/competition</a></p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 04/12/2014 16:46:58 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	3952 label Biography information for Mr Toby Perkins

155537

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Wales
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will ensure that as much of the construction and fitting-out work as possible at the new North Wales prison is carried out by locally-based contractors.
	tabling member constituency	Clwyd West
	tabling member printed	Mr David Jones
	uin	214292
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Lend Lease has committed to spending £30 million with local businesses and that at least 50% of the entire workforce will be recruited from within a 50 mile radius, with a target of 70%. Under the contractual arrangements in place, Lend Lease are required to report to the MoJ how much of the contract is being spent with companies within a 25 and 50 mile radius of the prison site.</p><p> </p><p>A number of supplier engagement events have been held where local businesses were able to meet constructors. Opportunities have been advertised on Business Wales and Sell2Wales using a dedicated North Wales project page.</p><p> </p><p>The North Wales Prison Employment, Skills and Engagement Committee is being created to focus on enabling the delivery of apprenticeships, training and local employment and work placement days. A Learning and Development Academy for supply chain, SME’s and local businesses and local people is also being set up to improve skills and secure tenders.</p><p> </p><p>To date over £1.1m has been spent with local businesses as part of the early works at the prison site.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 10:59:08 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1502 label Biography information for Mr David Jones

156391

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Terrorism: Prisoners' Release
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners convicted of terrorist-related offences have been released on temporary licence in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	214943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Release on temporary licence is not an entitlement and each prisoner is rigorously risk-assessed before they are allowed to be released on ROTL. All prisoners must wait until the latter part of their sentence for resettlement ROTL, and those convicted of terrorism-related offences are subject to the tougher, Restricted ROTL process that the Government introduced last year.</p><p>In the period January 2010 to 14 November 2014 15 prisoners convicted of a Terrorism Act offence or of an offence that was terrorism-related, where the motivation stemmed from an extreme ideology, were released on temporary licence.</p><p>The 15 prisoners represent a range of ideologies and contain a number of animal rights activists.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 20/01/2015 10:01:22 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

166045

	registered interest
	date	25/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Altcourse Prison
	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 increase prisoner safety at HM Prison Altcourse.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
	tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
	uin	215825
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Government does not tolerate violence of any kind within the prison estate, and prisoner safety is treated extremely seriously. Tackling violence in prisons is a priority for this Government, and steps are being taken to manage levels of violence within a complex and challenging prison population. We will be issuing new guidance to public sector and contracted prison providers on managing violence early next year.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The recently announced joint national protocol between National Offender Management Service (NOMS), the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on the appropriate handling of crimes in prison strengthens existing policy and requirements on the reporting of serious assaults or other serious crime occurring in custody so that this type of crime can be targeted. The protocol will be published before the end of the financial year following final consultation.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>G4S, who manage HMP Altcourse, are preparing an action plan to address any strategic weaknesses, to be overseen by Phil Wheatley, formerly Director General of NOMS. They are in the process of revising HMP Altcourse’s local Incentive and Earned Privilege (IEP), Violence Reduction and Safer Custody strategies. They are also arranging for the provision of additional resources to support local management in security and residential functions.</p><p> </p><p>NOMS regularly carries out operational audits and assessments of all aspects of prisoner safety at all prisons and will continue to monitor HMP Altcourse’s progress closely.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 02/12/2014 16:34:56 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram