Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

100479

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Abuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department spends each year on legal aid to support women suffering from domestic abuse.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	211432
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Prior to 2013, when people applied for legal aid they were not asked to declare whether domestic violence had occurred. Since 2013, applications for legal aid do not routinely request this information as it is not required. Therefore the data requested is not available.</p><p> </p><p>People seeking protective injunctions, like restraining orders, remain eligible for legal aid. Legal aid also remains available in private family cases that involve domestic violence. We have listened closely to any concerns about how the system has been operating, and made changes in response, such as making it easier to prove abuse and so get legal aid.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 16:08:52 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

100480

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what further training is planned for (a) the probation service, (b) magistrates and (c) judges on the new stalking laws.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211540
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p><strong>(a)</strong> The National Probation Service is a new organisation that has only been in existence since June 2014. The Professional Skills Training team are in the process of putting together the national training plan and stalking awareness will be part of this.</p><p> </p><p>(<strong>b</strong>) &amp; <strong>(c)</strong> The responsibility for judicial training for courts judiciary lies with the Lord Chief Justice as head of the judiciary and is exercised through the Judicial College. Magistrates sit with legal advisers in court who advise them on the law.</p><p> </p><p>The new stalking laws came from the amendments made to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 by the Protection of Freedom Act 2012. The Judicial College provides regular updates to judges and legal advisers on any changes to the law via a jurisdictional electronic internal newsletter, and did so in respect of these provisions in June 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office also issued a circular [Ref: 018/2012] on the new provisions in October 2012. This was issued to the Association Of Chief Police Officers (in England And Wales And Northern Ireland), Association Of Magisterial Officers, Central Council Of Magistrates Courts, Justices Clerks Society, Law Society, Magistrates Association, Ministry of Justice, and the Judicial College.</p><p> </p><p>In addition the Justices Clerks Society also issued a circular to their members outlining the new provisions in December 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College regularly assesses judicial training needs and how to meet them. Ultimately, judges use the law to make independent decisions based on the evidence and information provided to them in court.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 16:40:29 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100483

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to develop programmes for perpetrators of stalking (a) in the community and (b) in custody.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211542
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 21 October 2014 (210680 and 210770).</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 29/10/2014 17:50:22 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100484

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to issue revised sentencing guidelines in respect of the new offences of stalking.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211544
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 29/10/2014 11:52:52 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100485

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Harassment: Social Media
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with social media companies about bringing forward legislative proposals to tackle internet trolling.
tabling member constituency	Islwyn
tabling member printed	Chris Evans
uin	211553
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The sending of abusive messages or material online can cause absolute misery for victims and the Government recognises the need to make sure that people who commit these awful crimes are properly punished.</p><p>Changes to the law included in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill will mean that people who target others with abusive or offensive material, including internet trolls, will face up to two years in prison and the police will have more time to investigate cases.</p><p>The Secretary of State for Justice has not had any discussions to date with social media companies about legislative proposals to tackle internet trolling. However, as one of the joint chairs of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, I have discussed and fed the Government’s views in to a range of internet safety issues with social media companies and others.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 29/10/2014 13:09:07 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	4040 label Biography information for Chris Evans

100486

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Intimate Image Abuse: Internet
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with internet service providers about bringing forward legislative proposals to tackle revenge porn websites.
tabling member constituency	Islwyn
tabling member printed	Chris Evans
uin	211554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government is creating, in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, a new criminal offence which targets those who disclose private sexual photographs and films without consent and with intent to cause distress.</p><p>The Internet Services Providers Association took part in an online discussion hosted by the Ministry of Justice during its development. Mike Penning MP, Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, has also discussed the issue of revenge porn with internet service providers during discussions of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, of which he is one of the joint chairs.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 15:33:59 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	4040 label Biography information for Chris Evans

100487

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates in England and Wales have been given training on the new laws on stalking to date.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211545
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The responsibility for the training of Magistrates lies with the Lord Chief Justice as head of the judiciary and is exercised through the Judicial College.</p><p> </p><p>Magistrates sit with legal advisers in court who advise them on the law. The Judicial College is not responsible for teaching and updating Legal Advisers on the law. However, reference to any relevant law will be made at training events for the topics being covered.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College provides regular updates to Legal Advisers on any changes to the law via a jurisdictional electronic internal newsletter and did so in respect of these provisions in June 2012. In addition, the Home Office also issued a circular [Ref: 018/2012] on the new provisions in October 2012, and the Justices Clerks Society issued a circular to their members outlining the new provisions in December 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College regularly assesses judicial training needs and how to meet them. Ultimately, magistrates use the law to make independent decisions based on the evidence and information provided to them in court.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 16:34:59 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100488

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many judges in England and Wales have been given training on the new laws on stalking to date.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211546
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The responsibility for the training of judges lies with the Lord Chief Justice as head of the judiciary and is exercised through the Judicial College.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College is not responsible for teaching and updating judges on the law; judges are professional lawyers and are expected to keep themselves up to date. However, reference to any relevant law will be made at training events for the topics covered. The Judicial College provides regular updates to judges on any changes to the law via a jurisdictional electronic internal newsletter and did so in respect of these provisions in June 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The Judicial College regularly assesses judicial training needs and how to meet them. Ultimately, judges use the law to make independent decisions based on the evidence and information provided to them in court.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 03/11/2014 16:12:46 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100489

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
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 under the provisions of section 4a of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; and how many such people received a custodial sentence.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The stalking offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, sections 2A (stalking) and 4A (stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress), have been available from 25 November 2012. The section 2A offence has a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine, and the section 4A offence has a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.</p><p> </p><p>The number of people convicted under sections 2A and 4A in 2012 and 2013 and those receiving custodial sentence can be viewed at the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><em>Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts of offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2012 to 2013<sup>1,2,3</sup></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>Section of Act</em></p></td><td><p><em>Outcome</em></p></td><td><p><em>2012</em></p></td><td><p><em>2013</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 2A<sup>4</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>293</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>196</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>192</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 4A<sup>5</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>154</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><p><sup>1</sup> 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 for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. <sup>2</sup> 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. <sup>3</sup> The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. <sup>4</sup> Pursue course of conduct in breach of S.1(1) of the Act which amounts to stalking. <sup>5</sup> Stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm and distress. <em>Note:</em> Offences introduced 25 November 2012. <em>Source:</em> Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara grouped question UIN 211536 question first answered 03/11/2014 16:04:05 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries

100490

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Stalking
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 under the provisions of section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; and how many such people received a custodial sentence.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Nadine Dorries
uin	211536
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The stalking offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, sections 2A (stalking) and 4A (stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress), have been available from 25 November 2012. The section 2A offence has a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine, and the section 4A offence has a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment.</p><p> </p><p>The number of people convicted under sections 2A and 4A in 2012 and 2013 and those receiving custodial sentence can be viewed at the table below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><em>Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts of offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, England and Wales, 2012 to 2013<sup>1,2,3</sup></em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>Section of Act</em></p></td><td><p><em>Outcome</em></p></td><td><p><em>2012</em></p></td><td><p><em>2013</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 2A<sup>4</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>293</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>196</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>192</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Section 4A<sup>5</sup></p></td><td><p>Proceeded against</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>154</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Found guilty</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Sentenced</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Immediate custody</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><em>Of which:</em></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>up to 12 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>12 to 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>over 24 months</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4"><p><sup>1</sup> 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 for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. <sup>2</sup> 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. <sup>3</sup> The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. <sup>4</sup> Pursue course of conduct in breach of S.1(1) of the Act which amounts to stalking. <sup>5</sup> Stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm and distress. <em>Note:</em> Offences introduced 25 November 2012. <em>Source:</em> Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara grouped question UIN 211535 question first answered 03/11/2014 16:04:05 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries