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1227700

registered interest
date	22/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Older People
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government by how much the prison population of England and Wales would decrease if prisoners (1) over 65 years old, (2) over 70 years old, and (3) over 75 years old, were released.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL7149
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/08/2020 answer text <p>Based on prison population data as at 30 June 2020, the prison population of England and Wales includes (1) 2,660 prisoners over 65 years old, (2) of whom 1,497 prisoners are over 70 years, and (3) 671 prisoners are over 75 years old.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 04/08/2020 14:49:25 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1226221

registered interest
date	20/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Terrorism: Prison Sentences
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of additional prison sentences likely to be imposed if the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill is passed in its present form; and how many longer sentences are likely to be imposed as a result.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL7042
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/08/2020 answer text <p>We conducted and published an impact analysis for the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill, which is based on historical volumes of convictions and assumes that trends in sentencing remain stable. The Bill will not increase the overall number of sentences, but will increase sentence lengths for terrorist offenders. We assess that this will result in increased sentence lengths resulting in a maximum of 50 additional offenders in prison at any given time.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 04/08/2020 09:33:27 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1225383

registered interest
date	15/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to end the restrictions in place in prisons to address the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular (1) 23-hour daily cell confinement, and (2) the ban on family visits.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2020 answer text <p>As a result of the strong but necessary measures we introduced in prisons, including suspending social visits, lives have been saved and the NHS is being protected from the impact of widespread local outbreaks.</p><p>Some prisons have already started to ease restrictions, including re-starting social visits with appropriate social distancing and hygiene arrangements, and enabling more time out of cell. More prisons will do so over the coming weeks, guided by public health advice and with safety remaining the absolute priority.</p><p>Individual prisons and the youth estate will progress at their own speed, taking full account of their specific local circumstances.</p><p>A temporary video call service to support prisoners maintaining contact with family and friends has also been introduced. This is intended for use whilst contact is limited and we are considering the benefits of maintaining these digital solutions in the longer term, in line with the recommendations of Lord Farmer’s reviews.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 28/07/2020 14:45:22 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1221702

registered interest
date	07/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Older People
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme in prisons in England and Wales, in particular to allow for the release of elderly prisoners.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>On 4 April, the government announced the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme (ECTR). This scheme enables risk-assessed prisoners, who are within two months of their release date, to be temporarily released from custody, as part of the national approach to managing public services during the pandemic. The government does not plan to extend the scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 20/07/2020 12:26:00 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1218123

registered interest
date	25/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Women's Centres
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government which Women’s Centres for women who have offended, or who are at risk of offending, are currently functioning; where those centres are located; who provides funds to those centres; and what assessment they have made of the success of such centres in preventing (1) offending, and (2) re-offending.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL6166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises the important role played by women’s centres regarding women in contact with or at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system. These holistic services work to support women to address the often complex needs that underlie their offending behaviour.</p><p>Women’s centres are spread across England and Wales and receive funding from different sources. Following the publication of the Female Offender Strategy, the Government invested £5.1 million over two years in women’s community sector organisations, including women’s centres. Thirty different organisations across England and Wales received funding, which included the creation of six new women’s centres. On 5 May, the Government announced further funding of £2.5 million for the sector.</p><p>However, the detailed information requested about the number of women’s centres that are currently functioning and how they are funded is not held or collected centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 09/07/2020 16:31:46 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1203490

registered interest
date	15/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Recycling Lives
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the work of Recycling Lives, in particular in regard to the steps it has taken in relation to (1) training and employment for ex-offenders, and (2) food poverty; and what plans they have to extend such schemes to more prisons.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL5678
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>The New Futures Network, which brokers partnerships between prisons and employers, supports Recycling Lives to build partnerships with prisons, with the objective of securing work opportunities for individuals serving sentences in custody and those leaving prison. Sustainable employment and suitable educational opportunities are key factors to reducing reoffending and in turning offenders’ lives around.</p><p>The potential for any extension of such schemes will be dependent on a positive assessment of their practicality and contractual feasibility.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 29/06/2020 16:03:25 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1199228

registered interest
date	02/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Refugees
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reintroduce legal aid for refugee family reunion cases.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>Legal aid for refugee family reunion may be available under the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) scheme, where failure to provide legal aid would mean there is a breach or a risk of breach of the individual’s human rights, and subject to means and merits tests.</p><p>Last year we amended the scope of legal aid so that separated migrant children are able to receive civil legal aid for applications by their family members and extended family members. This includes entry clearance, leave to enter, or leave to remain in the UK, made under the immigration rules or outside the rules on the basis of exceptional circumstances or compassionate and compelling circumstances.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 16/06/2020 16:46:18 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1199326

registered interest
date	02/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Release: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to release all (1) remand prisoners, and (2) prisoners over the age of 70, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4997
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>This Government is not going to release all remand prisoners or all prisoners over the age of 70, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p><p>On 4 April, this Government announced the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme (ECTR). This scheme enables risk-assessed prisoners, who are within two months of their release date, to be temporarily released from custody, as part of the national approach to managing public services during this challenging period. No high-risk offenders, including those convicted of violent or sexual offences, anyone of national security concern or a danger to children, will be considered for release, nor any prisoners who have not served at least half their custodial term. This scheme only applies to prisoners serving standard determinate sentences with an automatic release point and those committed to custody for fine default or contempt, which also excludes remand prisoners. However, good progress has been made in reducing the number on remand and we are grateful to the Judiciary in their assistance in prioritising these cases.</p><p>For those who remain in custody, including prisoners over the age of 70, further operational guidance has been issued across the prison estate updating national policies on regime management following the Government steer on social distancing, shielding and household isolation. We have introduced cohorting arrangements in prisons endorsed by Public Health England to create safe environments for social distancing and household isolation. This involves isolating those with symptoms, shielding those most at vulnerable and quarantining new admissions in isolation from the rest of the prison for 14 days in Reverse Cohort Units to reduce the risk of infection.</p><p>In addition, pregnant women, prisoners living in Mother and Baby Units and those identified as ‘extremely vulnerable’ as defined in the NHS guidelines will merit consideration for release on temporary licence on compassionate grounds during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 16/06/2020 15:07:33 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1199327

registered interest
date	02/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Transfers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners were transferred to (1) psychiatric hospitals, (2) psychiatric wings of prisons, and (3) other hospitals, in each of the last 12 months.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/06/2020 answer text <p>From the data held centrally, we are unable to differentiate between transfers to (1) psychiatric and (3) other hospitals. Further, for (2) prisons do not have psychiatric wings, and data on occupancy of dedicated residential healthcare facilities in prisons are not collected centrally.</p><p> </p><p>We can provide the total number of prisoners who have been transferred to hospital under sections 47 (sentenced prisoners) or 48 (remand prisoners/immigration detainees) of the Mental Health Act 1983 in the last 12 months and this is set out below:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Month</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jun-2019</p></td><td><p>94</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jul-2019</p></td><td><p>81</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aug-2019</p></td><td><p>74</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sep-2019</p></td><td><p>72</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oct-2019</p></td><td><p>91</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Nov-2019</p></td><td><p>73</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Dec-2019</p></td><td><p>72</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Jan-2020</p></td><td><p>66</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Feb-2020</p></td><td><p>83</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mar-2020</p></td><td><p>79</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Apr-2020</p></td><td><p>71</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May-2020</p></td><td><p>75</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.</p><p>Information is collected on the number of transfers, not the number of individual prisoners who are transferred. An individual prisoner may be transferred more than once in any given time period.</p><p>We take the mental health of prisoners extremely seriously, which is why we have increased the support available to vulnerable offenders - especially during the first 24 hours in custody - and invested more in mental health awareness training for prison officers.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 16/06/2020 15:48:53 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1195332

registered interest
date	12/05/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Health
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to safeguard the physical and mental health of prisoners, in particular those subject to (1) long periods of being locked in cells, (2) the suspension of all visits, and (3) overcrowded cells.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government takes the health and wellbeing of prisoners very seriously. We work closely with health partners to provide a standard of healthcare in prisons equivalent to that available in the community. COVID-19, however, presents a unique set of challenges that we must address to keep prisoners safe. To mitigate these, we are operating a National Response Model in prisons, and working very closely with public health authorities to ensure our approach is based on the best scientific advice available.</p><p>This does, unfortunately, mean that visits have been suspended and people in prison are spending more time in their cells. They are, however, being given access to services including telephone contact with loved ones, access to health services and where possible time in the open air. Additionally, following a successful trial at HMP Berwyn, we are rolling out secure video calling to 10 prisons with a wider roll out in the coming weeks. We continue to make the Samaritans phone service available, and are working with the Samaritans to ensure that the Listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively. We are also providing distraction packs and in cell activities to support mental and physical wellbeing.</p><p>We are continuing to provide care and support to people at risk of self-harm or suicide through ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) case management. For those with severe mental health issues, we are doing everything we can to ensure that the process for transfer to hospital continues in as normal a way as possible.</p><p>Measures are also being taken to safeguard prisoners with particularly vulnerable physical health from COVID-19 and to satisfy requirements for social distancing. Since February, we have managed to move 4,000 people out of double cells, and work is being taken forward to create extra cells and increase the capacity of the prison estate. Meanwhile, prisoners identified in accordance with NHS guidance as being ‘extremely vulnerable’ to COVID-19 are being proactively considered for release from custody under existing Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) provisions. Where a prisoner falling within this category is considered not suitable for release, they will continue to be appropriately shielded within custody.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 27/05/2020 15:21:16 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton