Our main contribution in helping to tackle economic crime is to run a world class court system that has a strong international reputation and enables highly complex crimes to be prosecuted.<\/p>
<\/p>
As well as that work, we are also active in scrutinising the law to see if anything needs to be changed to tackle economic crime. The Department carried out a Call for Evidence to examine the case for a change in the law in corporate criminal liability for economic crime in 2017 and intends publishing its response in 2019.<\/p>
<\/p>
This is in addition to the creation of a new world class court facility in the City of London specialising in tackling cyber-crime, fraud and economic crime announced earlier this year. This will help reinforce the UK\u2019s reputation as a world-leading legal centre ready to deal with the changing nature of 21st century crime.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-18T17:07:41.583Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Economic Crime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "What steps his Department is taking to support the Home Office in tackling economic crime.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Hollinrake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thirsk and Malton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kevin Hollinrake"} ], "uin" : "908261"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027467", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027467/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Providing effective access to justice is at the heart of all decisions the Government makes regarding our justice system. We are committed to making sure that our court and tribunal services can be accessed by those that need to do so.<\/p>
<\/p>
HMCTS staffing levels are appropriate to make sure that effective access to justice is maintained.<\/p>
<\/p>
All court closures are subject to public consultation and the responses received are considered carefully before final decisions are made. Impact Assessments are published alongside the consultations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-18T17:08:37.8Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Administration of Justice"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "What assessment he has made of the effect of recent trends in the number of court (a) staff and (b) closures on access to justice.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "908262"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027468", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027468/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government have welcomed the independent review of the Mental Health Act and have rightly committed to reform mental health legislation. Some of the review\u2019s recommendations, have particular implications for civil justice and particular reforms to the Mental Health Tribunal. The Department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to consider the review, its recommendations and implications in detail and we will respond shortly.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-18T17:23:10.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mental Health Act 1983 Independent Review"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "What assessment he has made of the implications of the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act for the work of (a) his Department and (b) HM Courts & Tribunals Service.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4389", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ruth Cadbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brentford and Isleworth"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ruth Cadbury"} ], "uin" : "908263"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027609", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027609/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Restricting access to illicit drugs in prison is crucial to preventing substance misuse and in turn supporting rehabilitation. We are investing £6 million in 10 of the most challenging prisons to tackle drug supply and reduce demand, learning from these prisons will be shared across the prison estate nationally and will inform future activity.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have formed a Drugs Taskforce, working with law enforcement and health partners across government. The Taskforce is developing a national drugs strategy, underpinned by advice and guidance that will support the whole of the estate to restrict supply, reduce demand and build recovery.<\/p>
<\/p>
We use body searches, standard metal-detecting scanners and drug detection dogs across the estate. We will be extending the use of x-ray scanners more widely across the prison estate to detect internally concealed contraband, such as drugs or mobile phones. We have recently invested an additional £7 million in modern technology, including extending the use of phone blocking technology and improved searching techniques.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are working with the police to catch and convict criminals who smuggle contraband into prisons, and exploring additional security measures and new technology to stop these incursions. To date, there have been at least 45 convictions related to drone activity, with those sentenced serving a total of more than 140 years in prison.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have also taken steps to restrict the supply and use of Psychoactive Substances (PS) since their emergence. We became the first prison service in the world to introduce innovative mandatory drug tests for psychoactive substances, a significant step in tackling the supply and use of them. We have made it a criminal offence to possess psychoactive substances in prison and trained more than 300 sniffer dogs specifically to detect these drugs. We have also provided guidance on how to counter the evolving methods used by suppliers such as impregnated paper.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-20T15:31:32.873Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prisons: Drugs"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to prevent illicit drugs being brought into prisons.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Simpson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Upper Bann"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "David Simpson"} ], "uin" : "203266"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027240", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027240/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The total number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody from January to June 2018, broken down by Home Office offence code, can be viewed in Table 1.<\/p>
<\/p>
Table 2 and Table 3 break this information down by men and women respectively.<\/p>
<\/p>
Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, who take into account all circumstances of the case, including any aggravating and mitigating factors.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rory Stewart"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Penrith and The Border"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rory Stewart"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027240/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "Copy of PQ 202809 Response Table.xlsx"} , "title" : "Table"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-20T15:27:51.477Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prison Sentences"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 19 November 2018 to Questions 189756 and 189757, how many (a) men and (b) women were sentenced to prison in the first six months of 2018 for each offence in the Home Office offence code.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4493", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burgon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Leeds East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burgon"} ], "uin" : "202809"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027285", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027285/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is not held by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA).<\/p>
<\/p>
The LAA does not record data about the volumes of citizens who request this type of legal assistance, as the application process for the type of legal aid applicable to the matters described is devolved to the appointed solicitor. Where a client is found to be eligible for legal aid in a case of the kind enquired about, this information is reported subsequently to the Legal Aid Agency.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "202741"} , {"_value" : "202742"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-21T14:33:28.513Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Legal Aid Scheme: Asylum"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for legal assistance were made by asylum applicants during the first instance procedure in 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "202740"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027286", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027286/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information requested is not held by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA).<\/p>
<\/p>
The LAA does not record data about the volumes of citizens who request this type of legal assistance, as the application process for the type of legal aid applicable to the matters described is devolved to the appointed solicitor. Where a client is found to be eligible for legal aid in a case of the kind enquired about, this information is reported subsequently to the Legal Aid Agency.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "202740"} , {"_value" : "202742"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-21T14:33:28.577Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Legal Aid Scheme: Asylum"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many requests for legal assistance by asylum applicants were made during the first instance procedure under the (a) regular (b) accelerated (c) border and (d) Dublin procedure categories in the UK in 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4122", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stockton North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "202741"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027306", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027306/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Legal Aid Agency maps legal aid provision by Procurement Area rather than by Local Authority. A list of solicitor firms who can provide legal aid in civil law, broken down by address, is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/directory-of-legal-aid-providers<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> Information on the number of applications made for legal aid in special guardianship proceedings and the associated outcomes could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "202839"}
, {"_value" : "202842"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-20T16:17:53.613Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Legal Profession"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many solicitors (a) firms and (b) organisations provide (i) legal help, (ii) family help (lower form), (iii) family help (higher) and (iv) legal representation in each local authority area as at 1 December 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4510", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Hayes"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dulwich and West Norwood"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Helen Hayes"}
], "uin" : "202837"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027308", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027308/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "