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1133555

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Residential Women's Centres
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's press release of 27 June 2018 entitled Secretary of State launches dedicated strategy to break the cycle of female offending, how many residential women's centres have been opened in England and Wales for females convicted of offences since June 2018; and what the locations are of those centres.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267241
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>The Female Offender Strategy committed to develop a ‘residential women’s centre’ pilot in at least five sites across England and Wales. The aim of the pilots, when they begin, will be to develop an evidence base for how we might reduce the numbers of women entering and re-entering custody for short periods.</p><p> </p><p>We want to make sure the models we take forward are sustainable, scalable and appropriate for the local context of each site. We have recently concluded our first phase of consultation with stakeholders, partners and providers to inform our scoping. We will continue to consult with partners as we refine the design and delivery of the pilot.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently reflecting on the findings from our scoping work to develop a delivery plan for the pilots. No decisions regarding the location of Residential Women’ Centre pilots have yet been made.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 27/06/2019 11:56:40 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133564

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Discrimination
	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 ensure victims of discrimination are able to access the legal representation they require.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle-under-Lyme
	tabling member printed	Paul Farrelly
	uin	267211
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2019 answer text <p>We have specifically protected legal aid, both for initial advice and representation, subject to the statutory means and merits tests, for civil legal services provided in relation to contravention of the Equality Act 2010.</p><p> </p><p>Publicly funded advice continues to be available for Employment Tribunal discrimination claims, and publicly funded advice and representation is available in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, and the civil courts more generally.</p><p> </p><p>Our Legal Aid Support Action Plan, published in February, has also committed to improving the access victims of discrimination have to state-funded legal representation. This includes reinstating immediate access to face-to-face legal advice in discrimination cases, reviewing legal aid means testing, and improving the Exceptional Case Funding scheme.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 25/06/2019 13:20:25 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	1436 label Biography information for Paul Farrelly

1133584

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	CAFCASS
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many family court advisers were employed by Cafcass in each year from 2010 to date.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Heeley
	tabling member printed	Louise Haigh
	uin	267259
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2019 answer text <p>The number of family court advisers who were employed by Cafcass in each year from 2010 to date:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Month and Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number of Family Court Advisors </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2010</p></td><td><p>1120</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2011</p></td><td><p>1116</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2012</p></td><td><p>1163</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2013</p></td><td><p>1198</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2014</p></td><td><p>1226</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2015</p></td><td><p>1200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2016</p></td><td><p>1192</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2017</p></td><td><p>1146</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2018</p></td><td><p>1295</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2019</p></td><td><p>1337</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 25/06/2019 13:27:56 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4473 label Biography information for Louise Haigh

1133587

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Courts
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what redress a victim or witness has if special measures are requested in court but are not subsequently provided.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267261
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>There are many statutory protections that support vulnerable victims and witnesses in the criminal courts, for example banning cross examination of rape complainants by the defendant. In addition, a number of special measures can be applied for by the CPS to further support a victim or witness who is intimidated or vulnerable, for example the provision of protective screens.</p><p> </p><p>Such applications are considered by the trial judge. Should circumstances change during the trial it is possible for a late (or second) application to be made. Where applications are refused, it may be possible to appeal at the Court of Appeal or, in certain exceptional circumstances, to seek a judicial review.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 28/06/2019 13:17:27 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133596

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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, what the timetable is for the (a) termination of the 21 contracts for Community Rehabilitation Companies and (b) return of the management of offenders to the National Probation Service.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267269
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>In May 2019, we announced significant changes to the future structure of probation services in England and Wales. To allow us sufficient time for a smooth transition to the new model, we have put in place arrangements that will allow us to extend CRC contracts up until spring 2021.</p><p> </p><p>We aim to complete the integration of CRC offender management functions into the NPS in England in line with the termination of CRC contracts. In Wales, where our plans are more developed and where probation areas are already coterminous, we aim to complete the integration of offender management under the NPS in December 2019.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 17:04:40 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133597

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Mobile Phones
	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 (a) prevalence and (b) level of risk of illegal mobile phone use in prisons in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267270
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>The illegal use of mobile phones in prisons is one of the most significant threats facing our prisons. Illicit mobile phones undermine good order and control in prisons, and perpetuates ongoing criminality. They are used by prisoners for a range of criminal purposes, including drug supply, witness intimidation, extreme violence, involvement in organised crime and successful escapes. In the 12 months to March 2018 there were 15,036 mobile phones found in prisons, along with 9,345 SIM cards. This is an increase of 9% and 30% respectively compared with the previous 12-month period.</p><p> </p><p>Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has implemented a threefold approach to tackling the threat posed by mobile phones in prisons:</p><p> </p><ul><li>To minimise the number of phones entering prisons, we are strengthening our gate and perimeter security. This includes drafting specialist search teams into prisons across the country and extending the use of X-ray body scanners more widely across the prison estate to detect when prisoners are internally concealing contraband.</li><li>To strengthen our efforts to find phones that do enter prisons, we recently announced the installation of new phone detection technology in a number of prisons that will allow prison officers to pinpoint mobile phone signals down to precise cells. Through the Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2018, we have additionally expanded blocking powers to allow us to work with mobile network providers to disrupt the use of illicit phones in prisons.</li><li>We have also made significant improvements to our ability to forensically analyse seized phones and go after the criminal groups that supply them. For example, we have delivered new kits at 30 prisons to allow officers to download data quickly from illicit phones seized from prisoners.</li></ul> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 17:07:01 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133598

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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 (a) prevalence, (b) type of drug, (c) method of importation and (b) health risks to (i) prisoners and (ii) staff of the presence of illegal drugs in prisons in England and Wales.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267271
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>HMPPS measures the prevalence of drug use in prisons through random mandatory drug testing of prisoners. These test for a wide range of drugs including psychoactive substances as defined in the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. In 2017/18, 20.4% of samples tested positive for drugs.</p><p> </p><p>Psychoactive Substances (PS), as defined in the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, are the most prevalent drug type in prison. Psychoactive substances were present in 60% of all positive samples in 2017/18, overtaking cannabis (28%), opiates (11%) and buprenorphine (10%). HMPPS is continuing to develop its drug testing frameworks to respond to the changing patterns of misuse in prisons.</p><p> </p><p>Drugs can enter prison through a number of routes including being thrown over the wall or flown over by drone, via mail, visits, forced recalls (offenders who intentionally breach their licence in order to be recalled), and corrupt staff. The extent to which individual routes are used varies over time and across the estate and is influenced by a range of static and dynamic factors. HMPPS monitors these routes by gathering intelligence and working with law enforcement partners.</p><p> </p><p>HMPPS is working with unions, independent scientists and clinicians to assess the impact of secondary exposure to psychoactive substances on staff and prisoners. A program of staff post-exposure biological testing is being expanded and will explore prisoner and staff experiences of secondary exposure to assess the risk.</p><p> </p><p>To respond to the risk from drugs in prisons, we are strengthening our gate and perimeter security, drafting specialist search teams into prisons across the country and investing in physical and technical security counter measures. Alongside this, HMPPS has developed a new, national Prison Drugs Strategy, published in April 2019. The strategy outlines how HMPPS is working to restrict the supply of drugs, reduce demand through rehabilitative activities, and support prisoners to build recovery from substance misuse.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 28/06/2019 13:29:33 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133601

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Homicide
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of homicides were committed by people on (a) parole and (b) a life licence in England and Wales in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267272
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>Under the Probation Serious Further Offence (SFO) Review Procedures, the National Probation Service (NPS) or Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) must undertake a review where an offender under statutory supervision in the community is charged with a qualifying offence – a “notification”. Not every notification results in a conviction for an SFO.</p><p> </p><p>SFOs are rare. Less than 0.1% of offenders under statutory supervision are convicted of murder, and less than 0.5% convicted of any SFO. Nonetheless, every single SFO is taken extremely seriously, and in all cases a review is carried out to identify any lessons for the better management of future cases.</p><p> </p><p>We have interpreted ‘parole’ to mean offenders subject to indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) released by the Parole Board.</p><p> </p><p>Table 1 below sets out the number of offenders convicted of murder, who at the time they committed the offence were being supervised on a) an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection and b) life licence in England and Wales between 2016 and 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Table 2</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>a) Offenders supervised on an IPP sentence</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>b) Offenders supervised on life licence</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><ol><li>The data provided are provisional figures subject to change when any outstanding cases are concluded at court.</li><li>There were no other serious further offences of homicide such as manslaughter or infanticide.</li><li>The data also includes cases where the offender committed suicide or died prior to any trial, where a Court has ruled that they were responsible.</li><li>Data is not included on any determinate sentence prisoner either released automatically or released by the parole board early from an extended determinate sentence or following recall.</li><li>Data Sources and Quality .We have drawn these figures from administrative IT systems which, as with some large-scale recording systems, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing</li></ol><p> </p><p>We are not able to present the number of murders committed by offenders subject to probation supervision as a proportion of all murders and homicides, as there are differences in the way the respective data sets are produced. Published Homicide Index data are based on the year when the offence was recorded as a crime, not when the offence took place or when the case was heard in court. SFO data are first recorded when the notification, usually triggered by the court appearance, is received by the SFO Team in Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. However, in some cases it will be the following year(s) when the offender is convicted of the SFO</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 28/06/2019 13:33:58 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133602

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Security
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of x-ray body scanners in prisons in England and Wales .
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267273
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>We are taking urgent and decisive action to stop contraband from entering our prisons. These illicit items pose a significant threat to safety and security.</p><p> </p><p>X-ray body scanners have already been installed at Altcourse, Belmarsh, Doncaster, Forest Bank, Holme House, Leeds, Northumberland and Peterborough.</p><p> </p><p>We believe X-ray scanning technology provides an effective method of confirming whether a prisoner is attempting to smuggle contraband via internal concealment.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 267274 question first answered 27/06/2019 17:10:09 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts

1133603

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Security
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 May 2019 to Question 246554 on Prisons: Security, what the timeframe is for the installation of x-ray body scanners in the eight selected prisons.
	tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
	tabling member printed	Liz Saville Roberts
	uin	267274
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>We are taking urgent and decisive action to stop contraband from entering our prisons. These illicit items pose a significant threat to safety and security.</p><p> </p><p>X-ray body scanners have already been installed at Altcourse, Belmarsh, Doncaster, Forest Bank, Holme House, Leeds, Northumberland and Peterborough.</p><p> </p><p>We believe X-ray scanning technology provides an effective method of confirming whether a prisoner is attempting to smuggle contraband via internal concealment.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 267273 question first answered 27/06/2019 17:10:09 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4521 label Biography information for Liz Saville Roberts