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1131835

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Reform
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total spending was on (a) academic research and (b) public consultations undertaken by his Department to inform the HMCTS reform programme in each financial year since 2011-12.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	263790
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>HMCTS and the Ministry of Justice have undertaken a number of formal written consultation exercises since the Reform Programme began in 2016. This included the Ministry of Justice consultation on the Reform Programme entitled Transforming our Justice System, which set out the Government’s broad approach to reform and sought views on three specific sets of proposals: the assisted digital strategy; automatic online conviction and statutory standard penalty; and tribunal panel composition.</p><p> </p><p>HMCTS has spent the following amounts on academic research for evaluation of reform:</p><p> </p><p>2016/17: £220,000 for research on the Citizen user Experience</p><p>2017/18: £50,000 for research on the Professional User Experience</p><p>2017/18: £40,000 for a survey of SSCS appellants digital capability</p><p>2018/19: £49,000 for LSE evaluation of video hearings in tax</p><p>2018/19: £47,976 for research on Flexible Operating Hours</p><p> </p><p>HMCTS undertakes public consultation when reorganising estate or closing a tribunal building. This work is conducted by civil servants alongside other duties and it is not possible to capture an accurate assessment of the time and cost spent on this.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/07/2019 15:36:55 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

1132395

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Probate
	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 length of time for probate to be granted in the last (a) three months and (b) financial year.
	tabling member constituency	Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
	tabling member printed	Simon Hart
	uin	265484
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>Official statistics are not published on the average length of time from receipt of the application to the issue of a grant of probate. Internal management information, which is not subject to the rigorous quality assurance processes of official statistics, however shows that in the last financial year (2018/2019) the average time was three weeks.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst timeliness data are not yet available for the last three months, it is clear that waiting times have increased. Urgent action has been taken to address these temporary delays, staffing has been increased and the digital service further improved, and as a result waiting times are starting to reduce.</p><p> </p><p>There are no prescribed target times for dealing with probate applications. The recent increase in waiting times has been caused by a combination of an increased volume of incoming work and the transition to a new case management IT system. The move to the new system meant that staff had to spend time being trained and familiarising themselves with the system – which also had some initial performance issues that have been addressed.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/07/2019 15:38:49 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	3944 label Biography information for Simon Hart

1134236

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Offences against Children: Private Prosecutions
	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 24 June 2019 to Question 266816 on Offences against Children: Compensation, what estimate his Department has made of the number of private prosecutions brought by victims of child sexual abuse in the week commencing 2 January 2017.
	tabling member constituency	Burton
	tabling member printed	Andrew Griffiths
	uin	268452
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>Centrally held information does not identify whether or not prosecutions were brought forward privately by victims of child sex abuse. To identify whether the relevant cases would require manual searching of court records, which would be of disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Officials within my Department would be happy to extend an invitation to my Honourable Friend, the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter, to discuss what data is available and its limitations.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 17/07/2019 17:13:02 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	3936 label Biography information for Andrew Griffiths

1136748

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Curfews
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds each Home Detention Curfew application was refused in each of the last five years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
	uin	HL16898
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>The following table shows the number of prisoners who were eligible for HDC, and how many and what proportion were released in each of the last five years. Because of the way in which data is recorded, the figures relating to the number eligible are higher than the true picture, as they include all offenders serving sentences of the right length, even though some do not meet the other eligibility criteria (see footnote 1).</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015<sup>(3)</sup></strong></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><strong>Number eligible for release on HDC <sup>(1,2)</sup></strong></p></td><td><p><strong>45,203</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>43,669</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>43,660</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>44,697</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>40,543</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number released on HDC</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,614</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,319</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,041</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,312</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>14,769</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Percentage released</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>19%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>19%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>21%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>21%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>36%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>(1) This is the number of offenders serving sentences of between 12 weeks and just under 4 years and therefore potentially eligible for release on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) in the relevant period. However, it includes offenders who are in fact statutorily ineligible for HDC, such as registered sex offenders or those with a previous recall for breach of curfew on HDC (prisoners not eligible for HDC for these reasons cannot be identified from the data that is held). Moreover, certain offenders are presumed unsuitable for HDC and will only be considered for release in exceptional circumstances.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>(2) An offender may be eligible for release on HDC in more than one year. This is because an offender may become eligible for release on HDC in one year and remain in the prison population to be eligible for release as a new year begins.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>(3) Figures for 2015 and earlier were produced using an older methodology than for the years 2016 to date.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Data on the number of prisoners refused HDC is not collated centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>A prisoner may be released on or after their HDC eligibility date but may not lawfully be released before the eligibility date; such a release would be counted as a “release in error”. HMPPS publish annual data on releases in error but this does not indicate whether the offender was released on HDC and this could not be established except at disproportionate cost. This data is available here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-hm-prison-and-probation-service-digest-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-hm-prison-and-probation-service-digest-2017-to-2018</a></p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie grouped question UIN HL16896 HL16897 HL16899 question first answered 17/07/2019 15:05:30 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

1136749

	registered interest
	date	03/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Curfews
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners subject to Home Detention Curfews were released before their Home Detention Curfew Eligibility Date in each of the last five years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
	uin	HL16899
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>The following table shows the number of prisoners who were eligible for HDC, and how many and what proportion were released in each of the last five years. Because of the way in which data is recorded, the figures relating to the number eligible are higher than the true picture, as they include all offenders serving sentences of the right length, even though some do not meet the other eligibility criteria (see footnote 1).</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015<sup>(3)</sup></strong></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><strong>Number eligible for release on HDC <sup>(1,2)</sup></strong></p></td><td><p><strong>45,203</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>43,669</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>43,660</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>44,697</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>40,543</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number released on HDC</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,614</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,319</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,041</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,312</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>14,769</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Percentage released</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>19%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>19%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>21%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>21%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>36%</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>(1) This is the number of offenders serving sentences of between 12 weeks and just under 4 years and therefore potentially eligible for release on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) in the relevant period. However, it includes offenders who are in fact statutorily ineligible for HDC, such as registered sex offenders or those with a previous recall for breach of curfew on HDC (prisoners not eligible for HDC for these reasons cannot be identified from the data that is held). Moreover, certain offenders are presumed unsuitable for HDC and will only be considered for release in exceptional circumstances.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>(2) An offender may be eligible for release on HDC in more than one year. This is because an offender may become eligible for release on HDC in one year and remain in the prison population to be eligible for release as a new year begins.</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>(3) Figures for 2015 and earlier were produced using an older methodology than for the years 2016 to date.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Data on the number of prisoners refused HDC is not collated centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>A prisoner may be released on or after their HDC eligibility date but may not lawfully be released before the eligibility date; such a release would be counted as a “release in error”. HMPPS publish annual data on releases in error but this does not indicate whether the offender was released on HDC and this could not be established except at disproportionate cost. This data is available here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-hm-prison-and-probation-service-digest-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-hm-prison-and-probation-service-digest-2017-to-2018</a></p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie grouped question UIN HL16896 HL16897 HL16898 question first answered 17/07/2019 15:05:30 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

1137549

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the target waiting time is for benefit tribunals; and what the timeframe is for that target to be met.
	tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
	tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
	uin	274534
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice has not set a target waiting time for benefit appeals to be heard in the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) jurisdiction. This is because waiting times fluctuate geographically owing to a number of factors including venue capacity, the volumes of benefit decisions made locally, the complexity of the case and the availability of panel members. Furthermore, the listing of appeals, including consideration of whether a hearing should be expedited, is a function of the Tribunal’s judiciary. There are also no targets for staffing levels for medical members, disability qualified members or judges in the SSCS jurisdiction. Levels are set based on forecast receipts to the SSCS jurisdiction, outstanding workload, and venue capacity.</p><p> </p><p>HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HCMTS) is taking positive steps to reduce the waiting time for appeals to be heard in the SSCS jurisdiction. In 2018, 232 medical members and 118 disability-qualified members were additionally appointed to the SSCS jurisdiction and an extra 129 fee-paid judges have recently been appointed. The SSCS jurisdiction will also benefit from 100 salaried judges and 170 fee-paid judges being recruited across tribunals more widely. In addition, HMCTS is developing a new digital system with a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals and a better service for all parties to the proceedings. Case-management “triage” sessions are also being conducted, with the aim of reducing the number of cases that need to progress to an oral hearing.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 274535 question first answered 17/07/2019 17:10:49 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1137550

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Appeals
	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 19 February to Question 221635, what the target staffing levels are for (a) medical members, (b) disability qualified members and (c) judges in the social security and child support jurisdiction.
	tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
	tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
	uin	274535
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice has not set a target waiting time for benefit appeals to be heard in the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) jurisdiction. This is because waiting times fluctuate geographically owing to a number of factors including venue capacity, the volumes of benefit decisions made locally, the complexity of the case and the availability of panel members. Furthermore, the listing of appeals, including consideration of whether a hearing should be expedited, is a function of the Tribunal’s judiciary. There are also no targets for staffing levels for medical members, disability qualified members or judges in the SSCS jurisdiction. Levels are set based on forecast receipts to the SSCS jurisdiction, outstanding workload, and venue capacity.</p><p> </p><p>HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HCMTS) is taking positive steps to reduce the waiting time for appeals to be heard in the SSCS jurisdiction. In 2018, 232 medical members and 118 disability-qualified members were additionally appointed to the SSCS jurisdiction and an extra 129 fee-paid judges have recently been appointed. The SSCS jurisdiction will also benefit from 100 salaried judges and 170 fee-paid judges being recruited across tribunals more widely. In addition, HMCTS is developing a new digital system with a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals and a better service for all parties to the proceedings. Case-management “triage” sessions are also being conducted, with the aim of reducing the number of cases that need to progress to an oral hearing.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard grouped question UIN 274534 question first answered 17/07/2019 17:10:49 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

1137774

	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	Working Links
	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 creditors of Working Links are paid for services provided on behalf of the Government.
	tabling member constituency	Truro and Falmouth
	tabling member printed	Sarah Newton
	uin	275187
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>As set out in the Secretary of State’s Direction of 8 May, it has been concluded, on this occasion, that it is reasonable for Government to protect Permitted Subcontractors who suffered losses as they relate to the collapse of Working Links and their Community Rehabilitation Companies. These organisations are directly involved in the delivery of vital frontline probation services. Further to the Direction, we have worked with the Permitted Subcontractors to agree the monies that are owed, after undertaking extensive assurance checks against their Proof of Debt applications. We are now in the process of signing the Grant Agreements with each of the Permitted Subcontractors and validating their payment details in order to expedite payment of the monies owed.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We have been very clear that this is a unique response to a unique and specific set of circumstances. This should not be viewed as setting a precedent for future scenarios.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 17/07/2019 16:11:01 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton

1137932

	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	Prisoners' Release: Curfews
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners were (1) granted, and (2) refused, Home Detention Curfew in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age, (b) disability, (c) race, (d) religion or belief, (e) sex, (f) sexual orientation, and (g) gender reassignment.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
	uin	HL17031
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>Release on HDC allows suitable, risk assessed, prisoners to work towards rehabilitation in the community, while remaining subject to strict monitoring and other conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the number of prisoners released on HDC is published quarterly and annually. The data is broken down by gender and the following table shows releases in each of the last five years:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong> Individuals released on HDC 2014-18</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015<sup>(1)</sup></strong></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><strong>Total Number released on HDC</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,614</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,611</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,042</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>9,320</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>14,769</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Male</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>7,441</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>7,422</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>7,844</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>8,166</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>13,182</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Female</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,173</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,189</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,198</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,154</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>1,587</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"><p>(1) Figures for 2015 and earlier were produced using an older methodology than for the years 2016 to date.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Currently the data is not broken down by other protected characteristics but the next quarterly publication, due on 25 July, will include data on HDC releases by ethnicity. We are also exploring the scope to publish further breakdowns by other characteristics and this will depend upon the accessibility and reliability of the data, as well as the data protection implications if low numbers enabled individuals to be identified.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the number of prisoners refused HDC is not collated centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 17/07/2019 15:33:53 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

1138097

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Personal Names: Deed Poll
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has plans to end the requirement for the consent of a spouse when entering into a change of name deed to be enrolled at the Royal Courts of Justice using form LOC020.
	tabling member constituency	South Cambridgeshire
	tabling member printed	Heidi Allen
	uin	275802
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government has no current plans to end the requirement, in the Enrolment of Deeds (Change of Name) Regulations 1994, that a court should satisfy itself that the spouse or civil partner is aware when an applicant wishes to change their name through the courts by deed poll. This recognises that the change of name may have implications other than for the applicant. It is not mandatory in all cases – an applicant may seek to demonstrate to the court that there is good reason to dispense with such consent.</p><p> </p><p>This process is for those who wish to have a court-based verification and validation of the change of name Under the common law, it is open to a person aged 16 or above to change their name by deed poll themselves through the ‘unenrolled’ process. This simply requires the deed to be witnessed and attested by the signature of two witnesses.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 17/07/2019 15:25:31 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	4516 label Biography information for Heidi Allen