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800858

	registered interest
	date	05/12/2017
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Rape: Sentencing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	Whether there are plans to review sentencing guidelines for rape committed by people under 18.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	902762
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Sentencing guidelines are not set by the Ministry of Justice. They are set by the independant Sentencing Council.</p><p>I can however confirm, new guidelines on sentencing under 18s for sexual offences came into effect in June.</p> answering member constituency Esher and Walton answering member printed Dominic Raab question first answered 05/12/2017 17:32:26 answering member 4007 label Biography information for Dominic Raab
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1381878

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Marriage: Humanism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the judgment in R (Harrison and others) v Secretary of State for Justice 2020, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals for humanist marriages after the conclusion of the Law Commission marriage review.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	81121
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2021 answer text <p>The Law Commission report is expected to present options for wholesale reform to the law governing marriage ceremonies, which the Government will consider carefully. Options being explored by the Law Commission include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 02/12/2021 17:42:14 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1672875

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2023
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Immigration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is taking steps to increase the legal (a) aid and (b) advice provision for individuals with (i) immigration and (ii) refugee law queries in (A) Plymouth and (B) the South West.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	3672
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Legal aid is available for immigration and asylum cases, including those involving victims of domestic abuse and modern slavery, for separated migrant children, and for cases where someone is challenging a detention decision.</p><p> </p><p>Earlier in November, the Legal Aid Agency published a list of immigration legal services providers that are willing and able to provide remote advice to clients in the South West of England; the list is available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-providers-south-west-support-directory" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-providers-south-west-support-directory</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The ongoing Review of Civil Legal Aid is considering the broader economic context of the civil legal aid market as a whole across eleven categories (including immigration) so that it can operate sustainably in the long-term; the Review’s final report is expected in March 2024. When the Illegal Migration Act 2023 is implemented, individuals who receive a removal notice under the IMA will have access to free legal advice in relation to that notice.</p><p>Section 27(2) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 allows the Lord Chancellor to make arrangements for legal services to be provided by telephone or by other electronic means. Whether legal advice in a particular case is delivered remotely or in-person is down to the discretion of the legal provider. As set out in the Government’s response of 28 September 2023 to the consultation on legal aid fees for IMA work, which included an equality impact assessment (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-bill/outcome/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-act-government-response" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-bill/outcome/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-act-government-response</a>), a great deal of legal advice is already provided “remotely”, largely by telephone. The Government intends to allow advice to be provided remotely at Detained Duty Advice Scheme surgeries for those detained at Immigration Removal Centres. The Government acknowledges and agrees with stakeholder feedback on the need for some clients to continue to be seen face-to-face. Accordingly, conducting remote advice will be enabled at provider discretion, thus ensuring the continuation of appropriate decisions on the delivery of advice in relation to vulnerable clients.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not have data on how the advice is ultimately provided to the clients (whether face-to-face or remotely) because the decision on how to provide the service is at the discretion of the service providers, taking into account the best interests of the client. Data on the number of legal aid matters started on immigration and asylum is publicly available as part of the quarterly legal aid statistics (see tables 5.1 and 6.2 in the tables published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-april-to-june-2023" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-april-to-june-2023</a>). Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, all immigration advisers must be registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or be regulated by a Designated Qualifying Regulator (DQR). The OISC and the DQRs are responsible for ensuring immigration advisers are fit, competent, and act in their clients’ best interests. In relation to work funded under legal aid, the “Standard Civil Contract 2018: Immigration and Asylum Specification” includes a number of measures to ensure immigration and asylum advice is only provided by caseworkers who hold appropriate accreditation.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 3673 3674 3675 question first answered 04/12/2023 16:55:15 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1460057

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2022
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Magistrates' Courts: Plymouth
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to install solar panels on the roof of Plymouth Magistrates Court.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	159072
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2022 answer text <p>There are currently no plans to install solar panels on the roof of Plymouth Magistrates Court.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Suffolk answering member printed James Cartlidge question first answered 28/04/2022 09:49:57 answering member 4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1145892

	registered interest
	date	25/09/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Parole
	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 undertake a review of the Parole Board guidance on remorse shown by an offender following the release of Vanessa George.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	291064
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/10/2019 answer text <p>Guidance to Parole Board members is a matter for the independent Parole Board. It would be inappropriate for the Government to review guidance issued by an independent body making judicial decisions.</p><p> </p><p>The Parole Board already provides guidance and training to Parole Board members to enable its members to decide whether a prisoner’s continued imprisonment is necessary for the protection of the public. This is a decision focused on an assessment of future risk and will ordinarily look at: the circumstances of the original offending; whether there is any evidence of change whilst in custody; and an assessment of whether risk can be managed in the community if the prisoner were to be released.</p><p> </p><p>In making decisions parole panels must take account of all the written and oral evidence provided, including whether the prisoner expresses remorse. Whilst remorse, or lack of it, cannot be determinative in a parole decision, in making its decisions a Parole Board panel will take account of a prisoner’s attitude to their original offences; their insight into the impact of their offending on victims; and the extent to which they now take responsibility for their offences.</p> answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Lucy Frazer question first answered 03/10/2019 14:44:57 answering member 4517 label Biography information for Lucy Frazer
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1423303

	registered interest
	date	18/02/2022
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Dartmoor Prison: Finance
	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 allocate funding for facilities at HMP Dartmoor.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	125492
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/03/2022 answer text <p>In December 2021, HMPPS agreed the principal terms of a new lease with the Duchy of Cornwall. Subject to final agreement, HMP Dartmoor will remain operational as a prison beyond the end of 2023, when the existing lease expires. This will protect jobs in the rural south-west of England, as well as preserving 640 much-needed prison places. I am committed to ensuring that conditions in Dartmoor are fit for purpose. HMPPS will deliver a number of significant infrastructure upgrades to improve physical conditions, following agreement of the lease. These include major investment in roof and gate upgrades, as well as planned work to replace all lighting across the prison.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 01/03/2022 16:56:00 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1672876

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2023
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Immigration
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the remote provision of immigration and asylum advice; and whether he has carried out an Equality Impact Assessment on the remote provision of such advice.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	3673
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Legal aid is available for immigration and asylum cases, including those involving victims of domestic abuse and modern slavery, for separated migrant children, and for cases where someone is challenging a detention decision.</p><p> </p><p>Earlier in November, the Legal Aid Agency published a list of immigration legal services providers that are willing and able to provide remote advice to clients in the South West of England; the list is available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-providers-south-west-support-directory" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-providers-south-west-support-directory</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The ongoing Review of Civil Legal Aid is considering the broader economic context of the civil legal aid market as a whole across eleven categories (including immigration) so that it can operate sustainably in the long-term; the Review’s final report is expected in March 2024. When the Illegal Migration Act 2023 is implemented, individuals who receive a removal notice under the IMA will have access to free legal advice in relation to that notice.</p><p>Section 27(2) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 allows the Lord Chancellor to make arrangements for legal services to be provided by telephone or by other electronic means. Whether legal advice in a particular case is delivered remotely or in-person is down to the discretion of the legal provider. As set out in the Government’s response of 28 September 2023 to the consultation on legal aid fees for IMA work, which included an equality impact assessment (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-bill/outcome/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-act-government-response" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-bill/outcome/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-act-government-response</a>), a great deal of legal advice is already provided “remotely”, largely by telephone. The Government intends to allow advice to be provided remotely at Detained Duty Advice Scheme surgeries for those detained at Immigration Removal Centres. The Government acknowledges and agrees with stakeholder feedback on the need for some clients to continue to be seen face-to-face. Accordingly, conducting remote advice will be enabled at provider discretion, thus ensuring the continuation of appropriate decisions on the delivery of advice in relation to vulnerable clients.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not have data on how the advice is ultimately provided to the clients (whether face-to-face or remotely) because the decision on how to provide the service is at the discretion of the service providers, taking into account the best interests of the client. Data on the number of legal aid matters started on immigration and asylum is publicly available as part of the quarterly legal aid statistics (see tables 5.1 and 6.2 in the tables published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-april-to-june-2023" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-april-to-june-2023</a>). Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, all immigration advisers must be registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or be regulated by a Designated Qualifying Regulator (DQR). The OISC and the DQRs are responsible for ensuring immigration advisers are fit, competent, and act in their clients’ best interests. In relation to work funded under legal aid, the “Standard Civil Contract 2018: Immigration and Asylum Specification” includes a number of measures to ensure immigration and asylum advice is only provided by caseworkers who hold appropriate accreditation.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 3672 3674 3675 question first answered 04/12/2023 16:55:16 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1672878

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2023
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Asylum
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of remote advice provision in asylum seeker accommodation sites.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	3675
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Legal aid is available for immigration and asylum cases, including those involving victims of domestic abuse and modern slavery, for separated migrant children, and for cases where someone is challenging a detention decision.</p><p> </p><p>Earlier in November, the Legal Aid Agency published a list of immigration legal services providers that are willing and able to provide remote advice to clients in the South West of England; the list is available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-providers-south-west-support-directory" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-providers-south-west-support-directory</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The ongoing Review of Civil Legal Aid is considering the broader economic context of the civil legal aid market as a whole across eleven categories (including immigration) so that it can operate sustainably in the long-term; the Review’s final report is expected in March 2024. When the Illegal Migration Act 2023 is implemented, individuals who receive a removal notice under the IMA will have access to free legal advice in relation to that notice.</p><p>Section 27(2) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 allows the Lord Chancellor to make arrangements for legal services to be provided by telephone or by other electronic means. Whether legal advice in a particular case is delivered remotely or in-person is down to the discretion of the legal provider. As set out in the Government’s response of 28 September 2023 to the consultation on legal aid fees for IMA work, which included an equality impact assessment (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-bill/outcome/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-act-government-response" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-bill/outcome/legal-aid-fees-in-the-illegal-migration-act-government-response</a>), a great deal of legal advice is already provided “remotely”, largely by telephone. The Government intends to allow advice to be provided remotely at Detained Duty Advice Scheme surgeries for those detained at Immigration Removal Centres. The Government acknowledges and agrees with stakeholder feedback on the need for some clients to continue to be seen face-to-face. Accordingly, conducting remote advice will be enabled at provider discretion, thus ensuring the continuation of appropriate decisions on the delivery of advice in relation to vulnerable clients.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not have data on how the advice is ultimately provided to the clients (whether face-to-face or remotely) because the decision on how to provide the service is at the discretion of the service providers, taking into account the best interests of the client. Data on the number of legal aid matters started on immigration and asylum is publicly available as part of the quarterly legal aid statistics (see tables 5.1 and 6.2 in the tables published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-april-to-june-2023" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/legal-aid-statistics-april-to-june-2023</a>). Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, all immigration advisers must be registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or be regulated by a Designated Qualifying Regulator (DQR). The OISC and the DQRs are responsible for ensuring immigration advisers are fit, competent, and act in their clients’ best interests. In relation to work funded under legal aid, the “Standard Civil Contract 2018: Immigration and Asylum Specification” includes a number of measures to ensure immigration and asylum advice is only provided by caseworkers who hold appropriate accreditation.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 3672 3673 3674 question first answered 04/12/2023 16:55:16 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1381880

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Civil Partnerships: Public Consultation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish the consultation on outdoors civil marriages.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	81123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2021 answer text <p>The Government will publish a consultation very shortly to consider the practical impacts of this policy in detail, with a view to making a further amending Statutory Instrument which is not time limited.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 02/12/2021 17:41:47 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1381879

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Marriage: Humanism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his timeline is for responding to the Law Commission marriage review following its publication.
	tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
	tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
	uin	81122
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2021 answer text <p>The Government will carefully consider the Law Commission’s recommendations when received. The Government will be able to advise further on a timetable to respond to the Law Commission’s proposals once it has received these and assessed the breadth and complexity of the proposals.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 02/12/2021 17:42:24 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard