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1149322

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Family Law
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to widen the scoping criteria for legal aid in family law cases set by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	580
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>Legal aid is already available for public family law children cases, including care proceedings and adoption proceedings under the Children Act 1989 and related proceedings. It is also available for private family law where there is evidence of domestic abuse and for all EU and international child custody, maintenance and prevention of abduction cases.</p><p> </p><p>In the Legal Support Action plan published in February 2019 the Government committed to expand the scope for legal aid in family law cases to cover all Special Guardianship Orders in private family law.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, since 2014-15 the MoJ has invested close to £8m in support for those representing themselves in the family and civil courts through the Litigants in Person Support Strategy. The strategy works with a range of partners across England and Wales in the advice, voluntary and pro bono sectors to provide practical support for litigants in person. We also announced in the Legal Support Action Plan in February 2019 that we are providing an extra £3m of funding over the next two years to further enhance support for litigants in person.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 21/10/2019 16:14:51 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1149323

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Representation: Family Courts
	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 the adequate provision of legal advice in family law cases to reduce the number of litigants in person in the family courts.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	581
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>Litigants in person do require support to help them navigate the justice system and this is why since 2014-15 the Ministry of Justice has invested close to £8m in support for them in the civil and family courts, through the Litigants in Person Support Strategy. The strategy works with a range of partners across England and Wales in the advice, voluntary and pro bono sectors to provide practical support for litigants in person. This includes online and self-help resources, as well as access to free or affordable legal advice and representation, where possible. Access to a lawyer is not always the right or most affordable way to solve an issue in the most effective way</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, we announced in the Legal Support Action Plan in February 2019 that we are providing a further £3m of funding over the next two years to enhance support for litigants in person, ensuring those representing themselves in court understand the process and are better supported through it.</p><p> </p><p>Through the HMCTS reform programme, the Government is also investing over £1bn to build a modern system for administering justice which will benefit everyone who uses it. By designing systems around the public who need and use our services, we can create a more effective system for them and generate efficiencies for the taxpayer.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 21/10/2019 16:19:19 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1123671

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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, how many Social Security and Child Support Tribunal appeals have taken longer than 52 weeks for a determination, in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	248645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The information requested is provided in the table below:</p><p>SOCIAL SECURITY &amp; CHILD SUPPORT CLEARANCES 1<br>Period Number of clearances that exceeded 52 weeks from receipt<br>1 April 2013 - 31 March 2014 16,161<br>1 April 2014 - 31 March 2015 12,350<br>1 April 2015 - 31 March 2016 3,100<br>1 April 2016 - 31 March 2017 4,084<br>1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018 7,330<br>1 April 2018 - 31 December 2018 2 13,162</p><p>1. Data include hearings cleared with and without a Tribunal hearing</p><p>2. The latest period for which data are available. Provisional data and subject to further change</p><p>Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale case management system and are the best data that are available.</p><p> </p><p><br>It is important that appeals are heard as quickly as possible. Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) recognises there are delays in the system and it is in the process of recruiting more judicial office holders in order to increase capacity and help to reduce waiting times for appellants. This includes 250 judges across the First-tier Tribunal, 125 disability qualified members and up to 230 medical members.</p><p>In addition, we have recently launched a new digital service with a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals. Information on the new digital service can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal</p><p>We are also working with the Department for Work and Pensions to understand what could be done to reduce the number of appeals being submitted to the Tribunal, through their focus on improving decision-making and the mandatory reconsideration process.</p><p>These measures will increase the capacity of the Tribunal. As a result, the number of appeals outstanding in the Tribunal is starting to fall as the number of cases heard by the Tribunal outweigh those sent to the Tribunal. If this continues, over time, we expect the time it takes for the Tribunal to hear, and the age of, appeals to reduce.</p><p>The time taken for the Tribunal to hear an appeal is mainly driven by the number of appeals sent to the Tribunal and the capacity of the Tribunal to deal with them. The number of appeals sent to the Tribunal is directly affected by changes in welfare policy.</p><p>The time it takes the Tribunal to hear an appeal is calculated from the time it is sent to the Tribunal to its final disposal. An appeal is not necessarily disposed of at its first hearing. The final disposal decision on the appeal may be reached after an earlier hearing has been adjourned (which may be directed by the judge for a variety of reasons, such as to seek further evidence), or after an earlier hearing date had been postponed (again, for a variety of reasons, often at the request of the appellant). An appeal may also have been decided at an earlier date by the First-tier Tribunal, only for the case to have gone on to the Upper Tribunal, to be returned once again to the First-tier for its final disposal.</p><p>HMCTS is very sensitive to the needs of people who may be affected by waiting times for Tribunal hearings. Tribunal staff and judicial office-holders, are trained accordingly, with HMCTS’s reasonable adjustments policy and practice applied where appropriate. Guidance on the policy is published on GOV.UK. If an expedited hearing is sought, or where the Tribunal identifies a case which might benefit from an expedited hearing, a judge or caseworker will make a decision on the issue, taking all the circumstances of the case into account.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 16/05/2019 16:26:11 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1132784

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Public Inquiries: Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to ensure ensure that public inquiries in relation to major incidents do not (a) hinder and (b) delay criminal prosecutions.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	266139
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2019 answer text <p>There is already a power under section 13 of the Inquiries Act 2005 for the minister responsible for an inquiry, by notice to the inquiry chairman, to suspend an inquiry to allow for the determination of any criminal proceedings arising out of matters to which the inquiry relates.</p> answering member constituency Blackpool North and Cleveleys answering member printed Paul Maynard question first answered 25/06/2019 13:40:40 answering member 3926 label Biography information for Paul Maynard
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

754844

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Drugs: Crime
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted for the supply and production of Class (a) A, (b) B and (c) C drugs in each of the last five years; and how many of those people received the maximum custodial sentence permitted.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	6438
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of offences related to drug production and supply, by class of drug, can be viewed below (<em>Table 1</em>):</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="7"><p><em>Table 1</em> <strong>Offenders found guilty at all courts of drug production and supply offences, by class of drug, England and Wales, 2012 to 2016 <sup>(1)(2)(3)(4)</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Class of drug</p></td><td><p>Offence</p></td><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>2016</p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Class A</p></td><td><p>Production</p></td><td><p>39</p></td><td><p>42</p></td><td><p>32</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>19</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Supply</p></td><td><p>2,196</p></td><td><p>2,426</p></td><td><p>2,436</p></td><td><p>2,365</p></td><td><p>2,640</p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Class B</p></td><td><p>Production</p></td><td><p>6,494</p></td><td><p>6,240</p></td><td><p>5,559</p></td><td><p>4,668</p></td><td><p>3,573</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Supply</p></td><td><p>996</p></td><td><p>1,079</p></td><td><p>1,128</p></td><td><p>1,214</p></td><td><p>1,036</p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p>Class C</p></td><td><p>Production</p></td><td><p>149</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Supply</p></td><td><p>91</p></td><td><p>74</p></td><td><p>61</p></td><td><p>59</p></td><td><p>44</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>(1) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.</p><p> </p><p>(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.</p><p> </p><p>(3) Production, or being concerned in the production, of a controlled drug is an offence under Section 4(2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971</p><p> </p><p>(4) Supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug or being concerned in the doing of either activity by another is an offence under Section 4(3) Misuse of Drugs Act 1971</p><p> </p><p>Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.</p><p>Ref: PQ 6438</p> answering member constituency Bracknell answering member printed Dr Phillip Lee question first answered 05/09/2017 12:15:20 answering member 3921 label Biography information for Dr Phillip Lee
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

754846

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prison Sentences
	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 that prison is reserved only for the most dangerous, violent and persistent offenders.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	6440
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, using the powers set by Parliament to allow the courts to deal effectively and appropriately with offenders.</p> answering member constituency Bracknell answering member printed Dr Phillip Lee question first answered 05/09/2017 12:15:36 answering member 3921 label Biography information for Dr Phillip Lee
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

754847

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Probation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will end privatisation within the probation service, increase staffing and resources for the service, and give the service a greater role in managing and working with offenders in the community.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	6441
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>Private and third sector providers play a crucial role in delivering probation services which protect the public and reduce reoffending. The department has contracts with 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs), comprising both private and third sector organisations, who work alongside the National Probation Service (NPS) to supervise and reform offenders.</p><p> </p><p>We have recently amended our contracts with CRCs to reflect more accurately the fixed costs of delivering services to offenders. This will enable CRCs to focus on delivering critical operational services. Contracts already require CRCs to have a sufficient level of trained staff, and we closely monitor and robustly manage providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual requirements.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017-18 the NPS is running several national recruitment campaigns and is on course to recruit over 1,000 additional staff to train as Probation Service Officers and Probation Officers.</p><p> </p><p>As set out in a written statement laid on 19 July 2017, we continue to work with providers to explore further improvements we can make to the delivery of probation services.</p> answering member constituency Bracknell answering member printed Dr Phillip Lee question first answered 05/09/2017 12:19:51 answering member 3921 label Biography information for Dr Phillip Lee
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

754848

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Reoffenders: Sentencing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will end the discounting of sentences for repeat offenders.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	6437
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>There are no plans to change the law on reduction in sentence for a guilty plea. When a guilty plea is made a reduction in sentence is appropriate as it enables cases to be dealt with quickly, saves considerable costs, and, in the case of an early plea, saves victims and witnesses from the stress of having to give evidence.</p><p> </p><p>The courts must take into account the Sentencing Council guideline on Reduction in Sentence for a Guilty Plea when determining the size of reduction applicable. The guideline provides a sliding scale of reductions depending on the point at which the plea is made. The courts also take a range of other factors into consideration when sentencing, including any previous convictions.</p> answering member constituency Bracknell answering member printed Dr Phillip Lee question first answered 05/09/2017 12:15:55 answering member 3921 label Biography information for Dr Phillip Lee
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

754850

	registered interest
	date	20/07/2017
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Fines
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will introduce new fine levels including a fixed amount and an amount variable according to an offender's crime.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	6768
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2017 answer text <p>For offences sentenced in the magistrates’ courts, within the maxima fixed by Parliament, courts must have regard to the nature of the offending and to the means of the offender when setting a fine.</p><p> </p><p>Section 87 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders 2012 allows the Secretary of State to amend by order the standard scale of fines for summary offences. Fine maxima are kept under review but there are no current plans to use this power.</p> answering member constituency Bracknell answering member printed Dr Phillip Lee question first answered 05/09/2017 12:16:23 answering member 3921 label Biography information for Dr Phillip Lee
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1600750

	registered interest
	date	02/03/2023
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Mining: Strikes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals similar to those in the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Bill.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
	uin	156943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2023 answer text <p>There are currently no plans to introduce legislative proposals similar to those in the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Act 2022.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 07/03/2023 17:23:06 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris