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

1718750

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Wandsworth Prison: Police
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the secondment of police officers to cover shifts in Wandsworth Prison in the last 30 days.
tabling member constituency	Tooting
tabling member printed	Dr Rosena Allin-Khan
uin	26710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>No police officers have been seconded to cover shifts in HMP Wandsworth in the last 30 days.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 21/05/2024 13:38:04 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4573 label Biography information for Dr Rosena Allin-Khan

1718752

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Coroners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the (a) practical and (b) emotional support provided to (i) families and (ii) other witnesses attending the Coroners’ Courts.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government is grateful for the important and valuable work that the Coroners Courts Support Service (CCSS) does in providing practical and emotional support for bereaved families in many coroner areas across England and Wales. This work is key to the Government’s objective of ensuring that the bereaved are placed at the heart of the inquest process.</p><p>We are keen to see support services in every coroner’s court in England and Wales, subject to affordability. Following the Justice Committee’s recommendation in the 2021 report on its Inquiry into the Coroner Service, the Ministry of Justice is taking forward an engagement plan, including with the CCSS, to better understand the support services currently available in coroners’ courts in England and Wales, and what is needed going forward. We aim to complete this assessment in as soon as practicable.</p><p>We are also undertaking a factual update of our <strong><em>Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People</em></strong>, which will be followed by a more fundamental review to take account of forthcoming changes which will impact on coroner services, including implementation of the statutory Medical Examiner scheme and the Independent Public Advocate. The review will also look at ways of improving the accessibility of the Guide, so that bereaved people are better able to engage with it at what is inevitably a very difficult time in their lives.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 26766 26767 question first answered 23/05/2024 12:49:44 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1718753

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Coroners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the (a) practical and (b) emotional support provided to (i) families and (ii) other witnesses attending the Coroners’ Courts.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26766
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government is grateful for the important and valuable work that the Coroners Courts Support Service (CCSS) does in providing practical and emotional support for bereaved families in many coroner areas across England and Wales. This work is key to the Government’s objective of ensuring that the bereaved are placed at the heart of the inquest process.</p><p>We are keen to see support services in every coroner’s court in England and Wales, subject to affordability. Following the Justice Committee’s recommendation in the 2021 report on its Inquiry into the Coroner Service, the Ministry of Justice is taking forward an engagement plan, including with the CCSS, to better understand the support services currently available in coroners’ courts in England and Wales, and what is needed going forward. We aim to complete this assessment in as soon as practicable.</p><p>We are also undertaking a factual update of our <strong><em>Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People</em></strong>, which will be followed by a more fundamental review to take account of forthcoming changes which will impact on coroner services, including implementation of the statutory Medical Examiner scheme and the Independent Public Advocate. The review will also look at ways of improving the accessibility of the Guide, so that bereaved people are better able to engage with it at what is inevitably a very difficult time in their lives.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 26765 26767 question first answered 23/05/2024 12:49:44 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1718754

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Coroners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Coroners Courts Support Service on taking steps to improve the (a) practical and (b) emotional support provided to (i) families and (ii) other witnesses attending the Coroners’ Courts.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26767
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Government is grateful for the important and valuable work that the Coroners Courts Support Service (CCSS) does in providing practical and emotional support for bereaved families in many coroner areas across England and Wales. This work is key to the Government’s objective of ensuring that the bereaved are placed at the heart of the inquest process.</p><p>We are keen to see support services in every coroner’s court in England and Wales, subject to affordability. Following the Justice Committee’s recommendation in the 2021 report on its Inquiry into the Coroner Service, the Ministry of Justice is taking forward an engagement plan, including with the CCSS, to better understand the support services currently available in coroners’ courts in England and Wales, and what is needed going forward. We aim to complete this assessment in as soon as practicable.</p><p>We are also undertaking a factual update of our <strong><em>Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People</em></strong>, which will be followed by a more fundamental review to take account of forthcoming changes which will impact on coroner services, including implementation of the statutory Medical Examiner scheme and the Independent Public Advocate. The review will also look at ways of improving the accessibility of the Guide, so that bereaved people are better able to engage with it at what is inevitably a very difficult time in their lives.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer grouped question UIN 26765 26766 question first answered 23/05/2024 12:49:44 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1718755

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Coroners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps his Department has taken to help tackle delays at Coroners’ Courts.
tabling member constituency	Putney
tabling member printed	Fleur Anderson
uin	26768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>It is important that the inquest process is as swift and efficient as possible to avoid additional distress for bereaved families at such a difficult time in their lives.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, this Department does not have operational responsibility for coroner services as they are a local service, funded and administered by individual local authorities. However, we are keen to understand the factors underlying the length of time for the completion of inquests, and to provide support where possible and appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>To that end, we have introduced a raft of statutory measures to help streamline coroner processes, and intend to take forward further measures when Parliamentary time allows.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, on 9 September 2024, the Government is implementing the statutory Medical Examiner scheme which, by providing a more robust framework for the scrutiny of cause of death, is expected to decrease the number of deaths which are unnecessarily referred to the coroner, thereby reducing pressure on coroner services.</p><p> </p><p>I am also engaging with Ministerial colleagues to identify and implement an action plan to address the complex issues underlying the shortage of coronial pathology provision, which contributes significantly to inquest delays. As a first step, the Ministry of Justice is undertaking a review of the statutory fees for coronial pathology work.</p><p><br>I have recently discussed this and wider issues around inquest delay with the Justice Committee in the context of its follow up Inquiry into the Coroner Service and look forward to receiving its recommendations in due course.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer question first answered 23/05/2024 12:52:44 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4788 label Biography information for Fleur Anderson

1718774

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Overcrowding
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appearances in magistrates courts were delayed on (a) 15 and (b) 16 May 2024 as part of Operation Early Dawn.
tabling member constituency	Brentford and Isleworth
tabling member printed	Ruth Cadbury
uin	26690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>Operation Early Dawn is a contingency designed to mitigate impacts across the Criminal Justice System. We monitor system impacts but it is hard to say how many appearances in the magistrates courts were delayed because of Operation Early Dawn, as this data is not collected in our management information systems (because Operation Early Dawn is a contingency).</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice, across its agencies, is working to minimise any delays across the court system, which includes prioritising the most urgent cases.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 21/05/2024 13:34:10 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4389 label Biography information for Ruth Cadbury

1718778

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Overcrowding
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 potential risk to public safety of Operation Early Dawn.
tabling member constituency	Brentford and Isleworth
tabling member printed	Ruth Cadbury
uin	26691
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>Operation Early Dawn is an existing contingency measure to ensure sufficient governance exists between HMPPS, the Prison Escort Custody Service (PECS) and HMCTS to maintain the effective management of prisoner transfers between courts and custody.</p><p> </p><p>It involves an operational assessment being made each morning by HMPPS on which prisoners can be transferred from police cells and taken to courts to ensure there is a safe and secure location if remanded to custody.</p><p> </p><p>At least a partial collection is made from every Police Station which allows Police (and HMCTS for subsequent collections) to identify priority collections, including those who pose a higher risk.</p><p> </p><p>Public protection is carefully considered when taking decisions under Operation Early Dawn.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 21/05/2024 13:34:51 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4389 label Biography information for Ruth Cadbury

1718781

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Overcrowding
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department consulted representatives of (a) magistrates and (b) solicitors before implementing Operation Early Dawn.
tabling member constituency	Brentford and Isleworth
tabling member printed	Ruth Cadbury
uin	26692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice engaged with key Criminal Justice System partners, including the judiciary and legal profession, in advance of the activation of Operation Early Dawn.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 21/05/2024 13:36:47 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4389 label Biography information for Ruth Cadbury

1718812

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Probate
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) staffing levels and (b) staff training on the time taken to process probate applications in each of the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Stockport
tabling member printed	Navendu Mishra
uin	26787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>HM Courts &amp; Tribunals Service recruited 100 full time equivalent (FTE) staff between June 2022 and June 2023 for the probate service. HMCTS are now holding staffing levels at around 280 FTE compared to 153 FTE in March 2020. This is to maintain the increased volume of grants being issued and providing capacity for a rolling training programme to build the capability of the workforce.</p><p> </p><p>More recent Management Information published by HMCTS shows the average mean length of time taken for a grant of probate (following receipt of the documents required) reduced by 3 weeks in March 2024 compared to February 2024. The average timeliness for cases completing in March was 9 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>Official statistics show that the average time (median) from application submission to grant issue for all grant types was 11.0 weeks in 2023 (mean average time was 13.9 weeks). From the document receipt to grant issue the median average time was 8.7 weeks (mean average time 12.0).</p><p> </p><p>Despite the probate service receiving record levels of applications during 2023 the open workable caseload (cases not waiting for more information from the applicant) has reduced by 30,500 cases since August 2023 and currently stands at 37,406 in March 2024.</p> answering member constituency Finchley and Golders Green answering member printed Mike Freer question first answered 21/05/2024 16:17:23 answering member 4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer
tabling member	4811 label Biography information for Navendu Mishra

1718815

registered interest
date	16/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Overcrowding
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether beds of prisoners who have been released on temporary licence are counted as available for the purposes of determining capacity.
tabling member constituency	Brentford and Isleworth
tabling member printed	Ruth Cadbury
uin	26693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>Where a prisoner is authorised to temporarily leave prison, including hospital visits and release on temporary licence (ROTL), their bed remains allocated to them. This reflects the fact that such absences are strictly time limited and the prisoner must return within the short term. Their bed is not therefore considered vacant for the purpose of determining available capacity.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 21/05/2024 13:36:19 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4389 label Biography information for Ruth Cadbury