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1241361

	registered interest
	date	07/10/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Ministry of Justice: Written Questions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's internal guidance for officials on the drafting of answers to parliamentary questions; and if he will set out his Department's step by step sign off procedure before Ministerial approval is given to answers.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	100315
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>This government values the ongoing work of MPs and Peers whose scrutiny, whether through written Parliamentary Questions or other methods, is an invaluable part of our democratic process.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice’s internal guidance for answering parliamentary questions was updated and published on the Department’s intranet in April 2020. I will arrange for a copy of the attached guidance to be placed in the Libraries of the House.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Cabinet Office has produced guidance for civil servants on drafting answers to parliamentary questions. This may be found on the gov.uk website at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance</a></p><p> </p><p>Parliamentary questions are cleared by Senior Civil Servants in the relevant policy area, then Special Advisers, before receiving final sign off from Ministers.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 16/10/2020 10:33:24 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk attachment 1 file name parliamentary-questions-guidance (1).doc title parliamentary questions guidance
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1314623

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Remand in Custody
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) male and (b) female defendants were remanded in custody for their own (i) protection and (ii) welfare as an exception to bail under the Bail Act 1976 in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	1031
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2021 answer text <p>Information about the reasons for remand decisions is not centrally held within the Court Proceedings database. It is therefore not possible to identify whether defendants were remanded in custody for their own protection or welfare as an exception to bail under the Bail Act 1976 from the established remands data. This information may be obtained through a manual search of court records, but to do so would incur disproportionate costs.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice has published more general information on remand status at both magistrates’ and Crown Courts, up to December 2019, available in the following data tools:</p><p> </p><p>Magistrates’ Court:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888658/remands-magistrates-court-tool-2019.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888658/remands-magistrates-court-tool-2019.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>Crown Court:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888657/remands-crown-court-tool-2019.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888657/remands-crown-court-tool-2019.xlsx</a></p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 21/05/2021 09:45:26 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1254961

	registered interest
	date	24/11/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Ministry of Justice: International Men's Day
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department took to mark International Men's Day on 19 November 2020.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	120011
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>International Men’s Day offers an opportunity to highlight how outcomes for men and boys can be improved and to talk about some of the important work going on every day across Government to do this.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice marked International Men’s Day with the following range of activities:</p><p> </p><p>- Eight events for colleagues to mark International Men’s Day lead by the Staff Networks. These events included an awareness building session on prostate cancer and an intersectional event covering the support available to men who have suffered domestic abuse.</p><p> </p><p>- Articles and blogs featured on the organisation’s intranet to mark International Men’s Day.</p><p> </p><p>- Other activities across MoJ have included a workshop on men’s health that signposted staff to useful information, links and other resources; the annual Men’s Health and Wellbeing event where over 200 colleagues attended; and an awareness event preventing male suicide and self-harm.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 02/12/2020 17:39:26 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1435592

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2022
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Attorney General: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, if she will take steps to ensure that her Department and its agencies remove all internal covid-19 related policies, restrictions and mask mandates.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	129777
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2022 answer text <p>Throughout the pandemic, all Civil Service employers including the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Government Legal Department (GLD) and Her Majesties Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) have followed government guidance in setting out their internal COVID-19 related policies. This includes complying with the<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-covid-19" target="_blank"> Working Safely during Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance</a> which sets out the key actions organisations should take to protect employees and customers in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in workplaces, along with carrying out<a href="https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/risk-assessment.htm" target="_blank"> health and safety risk assessments</a> that include the ongoing risk from COVID-19.</p><p> </p><p>The Government’s recent <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-living-with-covid-19" target="_blank"><em>Living with COVID-19</em></a> document, sets out how and when the remaining restrictions will be lifted in England. Government guidance was subsequently amended, including the <em>Working Safely </em>guidance. Which alongside risk assessments, sets out further actions organisations can take to protect employees and customers in the workplace, such as ensuring adequate ventilation, frequent cleaning and asking people with COVID-19 to stay home. The guidance advises that people continue to wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed settings where they come into contact with people they do not normally meet, when rates of transmission are high. Employers will continue to align their policies accordingly. Should individuals wish to wear masks as a matter of personal choice this should be respected.</p><p>In respect to the SFO estate, The Canadian High Commission (CHC), in their capacity as landlord, have requested SFO employees, contractors and visitors continue to wear face coverings in the common areas of 2 – 4 Cockspur Street. This includes the lobby, lifts, stairs, toilets, and reception.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 07/03/2022 10:28:06 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1344658

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the the Urgent Notification issued by HM Inspectorate of Prisons in December 2020, if he will make an assessment of the progress made against the joint action plan between MTC and his Department.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	29005
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2021 answer text <p>Following the invoking of the Urgent Notification protocol at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre (STC) last December, we ordered the provider MTC to take the immediate action necessary to address the unacceptable failings at Rainsbrook, including a focus on ensuring no child was isolated on arrival and all children in the Reverse Cohorting Unit had suitable access to services and a greater amount of time out of their room.</p><p>The Youth Custody Service (YCS) has continuously monitored progress against the Urgent Notification plan since publication in January. There was some early progress at the start of 2021, with Ofsted noting that ‘some early signs of improvement were seen’ in their monitoring visit from 26 January (report published on 22 February). They did, however, note that many of the actions included in the plan still needed to be implemented, with other actions yet to have been embedded. The serious concerns relating to children ‘reverse cohorting’ at the centre were addressed, and the YCS had strengthened its oversight of the STC, as acknowledged by Ofsted. It is, however, clear that significant issues around staffing, safety, and on-site operational grip remain, with a second Urgent Notification invoked on 18 June following a full inspection of the centre.</p><p>We are currently transferring children from Rainsbrook to alternative appropriate accommodation within the children and young people secure estate. Separate to this, we are also considering the future of the centre, with a further announcement to be made on this position in due course.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 15/07/2021 16:36:49 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1344659

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many children from (a) Oakhill Secure Training Centre and (b) other training Centres have been transferred into Rainsbrook Training Centre during 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	29006
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2021 answer text <p>The Youth Custody Service (YCS) placement team is responsible for placing children and young people under the age of 18 who have been remanded or sentenced into youth secure accommodation.</p><p> </p><p>The youth estate is currently comprised of three sectors: Young Offender Institutions (YOIs), often larger establishments for boys aged 15-17; Secure Training Centre’s (STCs) –smaller establishments for boys and girls aged 12-17, with a higher staff to young person ratio for children who may require additional support; and Secure Children’s Homes (SCHs), which are operated by local authorities, and accommodate boys and girls aged 10-17. SCHs have a high ratio of staff to young people and are generally smaller facilities of 18-24 beds. The YCS contract beds for young people sentenced or remanded to custody at 8 SCHs, however, SCHs also hold children held on secure welfare orders.</p><p> </p><p>A decision on the most appropriate accommodation to place a child is made following an assessment by the Youth Offending Team (YOT). The YCS will then make a decision about the most appropriate placement after consideration of each child’s individual needs and their YOT’s placement recommendation, against the available accommodation. Decisions are made with children’s best interests as the primary consideration. Other factors including (but not limited to) age and gender; risk of harm (to self and others); family and resettlement; and maturity and resilience are also taken into account.</p><p> </p><p>The number of children moved from other training centres to Rainsbrook STC amounts to five or fewer individuals. Providing this information would risk identification of the individuals concerned meaning that disclosure would be in breach of our statutory obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation and/or the Data Protection Act 2018. We have commenced work to remove all children from Rainsbrook, transferring them to alternative appropriate accommodation within the youth secure estate. Separate to this, we are considering the future of the centre, with a further announcement to be made on this position in due course.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 15/07/2021 16:37:40 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1344660

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Youth Custody
	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 monitor the performance of his Department’s Young Offender Institutions and Secure Training Centres; and what recent assessment he has made of that performance.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	29007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2021 answer text <p>The Youth Custody Service (YCS) monitors performance at Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) and Secure Training Centres (STCs) very closely, working with establishments to ensure that recommendations from the independent inspectorates are acted upon promptly. The YCS captures a range of performance information for both YOIs and STCs (noting the differences across sectors). This information is discussed widely with a range of partners and stakeholders to assess performance and address issues as required, to help support and improve the delivery across our sites. In addition, a new YCS assurance framework will be developed throughout the year, designed to ensure that YCS is best able to monitor delivery and identify risks and with appropriate support from wider HM Prison and Probation Service take action to swiftly resolve as well as prevent issues from occurring.</p><p> </p><p>The impact of COVID-19, and need to following physical distancing approaches, in line with national guidance, inevitably impacted regime delivery within sites throughout the last year. However, early indications from research commissioned by the YCS, in collaboration with academics, to evaluate and learn lessons from the impact and response to COVID-19, has shown that the large majority of children report feeling safe during the early period of the restrictions, with some reporting feeling safer than previous periods of time spent in custody. Furthermore, we have also observed through the research that there were positive reports of relationships between both children and children, and children and staff.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to improving the safety and life chances for the children in custody, investing in staff, education, psychology services and mental health support. This is underpinned by the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) which sets out the principles for how our secure settings should work with and look after children. We continue to support and develop our brave and hardworking operational staff, with funding provided for our frontline officers to take up a degree level qualification in youth justice. As of March, there were 201 youth justice specialist officers already in post, with a further 319 staff signed up or undertaking the learning.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 15/07/2021 16:39:40 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1347417

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners: Rehabilitation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will commit to developing a rehabilitation strategy for male prisoners that is in line with the Female Offender Strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	33872
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>Evidence shows that a gender-specific approach for women is the most effective way to address the often multiple and complex issues that underly women’s offending behaviour. That is why we launched the Female Offender Strategy in 2018 to improve outcomes for women at all points of the justice system by taking a gender and trauma informed approach.</p><p>A wide range of work is underway to help rehabilitate both male and female offenders. We know that having somewhere to live, a job, a healthy lifestyle and helping the individual address their underlying and often complex needs are essential to reducing their likelihood of reoffending. This enables them to make a positive contribution to society.</p><p>That is why we are strengthening rehabilitation in prisons by creating a Prisoner Education Service focussed on work-based training and skills to improve employment outcomes for offenders on release. The HMPPS New Futures Network also continues to broker partnerships between prisons and employers, which can result in work opportunities for serving prisoners, through prison industries workshops and workplace Release on Temporary Licence. We are also improving employment outcomes by increasing the number of DWP Prison Work Coaches across the estate, which means that prior to release, prisoners can access advice and support on employment and benefits.</p><p>In January, this Government announced a £70 million package on tackling some of the key drivers of reoffending, and £80 million on expanding drug treatment services in England to address offenders’ substance misuse issues, divert them on to effective community sentences and reduce drug-related crime and deaths. The £70 million package includes launching transitional accommodation for those leaving prison who would otherwise be homeless in five probation regions and working collaboratively with 16 prisons to test new innovative approaches to ensure offenders resettle back into the community and turn their backs on crime.</p><p>On the 26 June we successfully implemented our reforms to create a unified Probation Service. We have retained a key role for the private and voluntary sectors by awarding contracts worth nearly £200m over the next 3 years to a range of organisations to deliver vital rehabilitative services such as accommodation support, education, training and employment, and support to address other issues such as access to mental health services and additional support to meet the specific needs of female offenders.</p><p>We are committed to providing all offenders with an opportunity to turn their backs on crime. However, this is not something the Ministry of Justice can do in isolation, it needs to be a combined effort across government and local partners in order to make a significant and lasting change. That is why we are leading work across Government to address the complex issues that increase the likelihood of reoffending when a prisoner is released. There are no plans to develop a distinct rehabilitation strategy for male prisoners.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 23/07/2021 13:15:55 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1347419

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Mental Health Services
	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 offenders of the Offender Personality Disorder pathway programme are (a) male and (b) female.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	33873
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>The Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway is a clinically led joint initiative with the NHS. It is not a single intervention rather a series of different interventions tailored for individuals based on clinical need.</p><p> </p><p>The number and proportions of men and women in custody and in the community who had been screened into the OPD pathway as of 30 June 2021 is displayed in the table below. The figures relate to all those within the Probation Service caseload who are identified as being eligible for OPD services. Being screened into the programme does not mean an individual will automatically receive intervention. This is an administrative process to identify those who may fit the programme criteria. Intervention pathways are determined through further assessment and sentence planning.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Gender</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>People managed by the Probation Service screened into the OPD pathway (as of 30/06/21)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Proportion of all people managed by the Probation Service who had been screened into the OPD pathway (as of 30/06/21)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Male</p></td><td><p>33,757</p></td><td><p>94.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Female</p></td><td><p>2,164</p></td><td><p>6.0%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </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 is the best data that is available. The data may differ slightly to that of the published statistics where data was run on a different date.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 23/07/2021 13:24:25 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1347506

	registered interest
	date	15/07/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 2 on page 5 of the Female Offender Strategy, published in June 2018, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) male and b) female prisoners who have experienced chaotic lifestyles.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	33876
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2021 answer text <p>It is important to understand the personal circumstances and needs of offenders who receive custody and community disposals, if we are to effectively support their rehabilitation.</p><p>Information on the criminogenic and responsivity needs of offenders is captured through the Offender Assessment System (OASyS). The most recent figures were published on 18 July 2019 in the ‘Identified needs of offenders in custody and the community from OASyS,’ based on a snapshot as at 30 June 2018.</p><p>These figures show that females assessed in custody had a higher average number of needs per person (5.05) than males in custody (4.88), and higher than both females (3.81) and males (3.72) in the community.</p><p>Females in custody had a higher prevalence of relationship needs (80%) than males in custody (69%), as well as accommodation (64% compared to 56%), drugs (50% compared to 45%), alcohol (22% compared to 17%) and employability needs (66% compared to 62%).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 23/07/2021 13:24:54 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies