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99915

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Sentencing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will review UK domestic violence sentencing guidelines.
tabling member constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole
tabling member printed	Annette Brooke
uin	211159
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Sentencing guidelines are produced independently of Government, by the Sentencing Council. The guidelines are available on the Sentencing Council website. Any decision to review the overarching sentencing guideline on domestic violence is a matter for the Sentencing Council.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The overarching sentencing guideline on domestic violence makes clear that because an offence has been committed in a domestic context there are likely to be aggravating factors present which make it more serious. The guideline sets out in some detail certain aggravating, and mitigating factors, which are of particular relevance to offences committed in a domestic context. All courts must take this guideline into account, and they must also follow sentencing guidelines for individual offences. This makes sure that the courts have a consistent approach to the task of determining the appropriate sentence in each case.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 27/10/2014 16:51:48 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1431 label Biography information for Annette Brooke

99919

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Burglary: Reoffenders
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which courts did not send people with the highest number of previous convictions for burglary to prison for a further offence of burglary in each of the years since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	211135
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent judiciary, taking account of the circumstances of the case and the maximum penalty for the offence. However, when sentencing an offender the courts must treat recent and relevant previous convictions as an aggravating factor. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of three years’ imprisonment for a third conviction for domestic burglary. The sentencing guideline for burglary aims to ensure that the effect on victims is at the centre of considerations about what sentence each offender should receive. The average custodial sentence length for domestic burglary has increased from 21.4 months in 2009 to 23.6 months in 2013.</p><p> </p><p>This Government is committed to strengthening sentences, so that they combine both punishment and requirements that are effective at preventing further offending. We are transforming rehabilitation, by bringing together the best of the public, private and voluntary sectors, and only rewarding them when they actually do reduce reoffending.</p><p> </p><p>The highest number of previous convictions for burglary by an offender who was convicted of a further burglary offence and not sentenced to immediate custody for the further offence by court or Local Justice Area (LJA) in England and Wales, from the 12 months ending March 2010 to the 12 months ending March 2014, is given in Table 1.</p><p> </p><p>The offenders concerned (and one of the two offenders in 2010, is the same offender in 2011 and 2013) have long offending histories, and they have received immediate custodial sentences for most of their burglary convictions, the vast majority of which were not for domestic burglary.</p><p>Table 1: The highest number<sup>1</sup> of previous convictions for burglary by an offender who was convicted of a further burglary offence and not sentenced to immediate custody for the further offence<sup>3</sup> by court or Local Justice Area (LJA) in England and Wales, 12 months ending March 2010 to 12 months ending March 2014.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong><em>12 months ending March </em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Court </em></strong></p></td><td><p><strong><em>Number<sup>1 </sup>of previous convictions</em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>2010</em></p></td><td><p><em>Sussex</em><em> (Western) Local Justice Area &amp; Horseferry Road Magistrates Court</em></p></td><td><p><em>61,61</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>2011</em></p></td><td><p><em>Bristol Local Justice Area</em></p></td><td><p><em>64</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>2012</em></p></td><td><p><em>Manchester</em><em> Magistrates Court</em></p></td><td><p><em>47</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>2013<sup>*</sup></em></p></td><td><p><em>Central London Local Justice Area </em></p></td><td><p><em>65</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>2014</em></p></td><td><p><em>South East Surrey Local Justice Area</em></p></td><td><p><em>52</em></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong><em>Source</em></strong><em>: Ministry of Justice, Police National Computer (PNC)</em></p></td><td><p><strong><em> </em></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p><em>1. Number of previous convictions are counts of the number of separate occasions an offender has previously been convicted of burglary.</em></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p><em>2. All data have been taken from the MoJ extract of the Police National Computer. This includes details of all convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings given for recordable offences (see www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/1139/schedule/made for definition). It is therefore possible that some offenders presented in the table above have previously also received convictions for offences not recorded on the PNC.</em></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p><em>3. An offender may have had previous convictions for which they received an immediate custodial sentence</em></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p><em>* One of the two offenders in 2010 is also the relevant offender</em></p><p><em> in 2011 and 2013.</em></p></td><td><p><em> </em></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 28/10/2014 14:16:43 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

99920

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Escapes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people failed to return to prison following release on temporary licence in each of the last three years; and how many and what proportion of such offenders were subsequently (a) charged with and (b) convicted of a criminal offence under the Prisoners (Return to Custody) Act 1995.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	211070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>My officials are currently working to provide the information requested but it has not proved possible to produce it in the time allowed. I will write to you in due course.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 27/10/2014 16:10:29 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

99925

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Harassment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in respect of how many alleged offences under section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 proceedings are currently active in magistrates' courts in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
tabling member printed	Mr Elfyn Llwyd
uin	211138
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>As of 30 June 2014, the latest date for which data is available, there were 157 proceedings under Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 outstanding in magistrates’ courts in England and Wales.</p> answering member constituency North West Cambridgeshire answering member printed Mr Shailesh Vara question first answered 27/10/2014 14:58:32 answering member 1496 label Biography information for Shailesh Vara
tabling member	549 label Biography information for Mr Elfyn Llwyd

99991

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Altcourse Prison
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with G4S Custodial and Detention Services about the findings of the report of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on HM Prison Altcourse, published on 15 October, in respect of cells designed for one or two people holding an additional prisoner.
tabling member printed	Baroness Stern
uin	HL2206
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>All establishments within the prison estate are required to comply with the cell certification and occupancy requirements. This is reflected in the contract for the running of HMP Altcourse.</p><p> </p><p>The prison operator is finalising an action plan in response to H M Inspectorate of Prisons’ recommendations. The plan will be discussed, and progress in implementing the actions monitored, at the regular meetings between the Controller (representing the Secretary of State), who is based at the prison, and the prison’s Director.</p><p> </p><p>The action plan will also be discussed at the quarterly contract review meetings, which are attended by the Director and his team, the Controller and officials from the National Offender Management Service.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 03/11/2014 16:07:01 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	2475 label Biography information for Baroness Stern

99992

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Altcourse Prison
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with G4S Custodial and Detention Services about the findings of the report of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on HM Prison Altcourse, published on 15 October, in respect of the prison’s response at strategic and operational levels to rising levels of violence.
tabling member printed	Baroness Stern
uin	HL2207
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Incidence of violence and associated trends are closely monitored by the Controller (the Secretary of State’s representative), who is based at the prison.</p><p> </p><p>The prison operator is finalising an action plan in response to H M Inspectorate of Prisons’ recommendations. The plan will be discussed, and progress in implementing the actions monitored, at the regular meetings between the Controller and the prison’s Director.</p><p> </p><p>The action plan will also be discussed at the quarterly contract review meetings, which are attended by the Director and his team, the Controller and officials from the National Offender Management Service.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 03/11/2014 16:06:27 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	2475 label Biography information for Baroness Stern

93680

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners' Transfers: Northern Ireland
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prison transfer applications from Great Britain to Northern Ireland have been (1) sent, (2) approved, and (3) rejected, in the past 12 months.
tabling member printed	Lord Browne of Belmont
uin	HL2109
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>From 1 October 2013 to the 30 September 2014 the National Offender Management Service referred a total of eight applications to the Northern Ireland Prison Service from prisoners seeking to transfer from a prison in England and Wales to one in Northern Ireland to continue serving a sentence of imprisonment or to facilitate a period of temporary visits with close family.</p><p> </p><p>Of the 8 applications, two were approved and the prisoners were transferred, one application was refused, one prisoner withdrew their application and four applications remain under consideration.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 29/10/2014 15:40:38 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	3801 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont

93687

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	India
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored officials from the Indian Prison Service were charged for a visit to HMP Grendon; and if so, how much, and on what grounds.
tabling member printed	Lord Ramsbotham
uin	HL2116
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) charged Penal Reform International £1,000 for running a full day visit to HMP Grendon in June 2014, involving ten Indian Prison Officers, two Indian Training Academy officials and one Penal Reform International representative. The charge covered the costs of NOMS staff screening and arranging the visit and HMP Grendon’s staff costs for escorting and providing refreshments for the thirteen delegates.</p><p> </p><p>Most of the international visits to prisons that NOMS arranges are at the request of other governments and are not charged. NOMS applies charges in a few cases to cover its costs where, as on this occasion, a private company or non-governmental organisation approaches NOMS as an intermediary and has a funded programme of which the visit is part.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 29/10/2014 17:56:58 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
tabling member	3744 label Biography information for Lord Ramsbotham

93340

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Probation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the level of staff shortage was in the probation service (a) at the latest date for which data is available and (b) in October 2013.
tabling member constituency	Cheltenham
tabling member printed	Martin Horwood
uin	210547
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The National Probation Service (NPS) and Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) were resourced to deliver their core duties at the point of commencing the new structures on 1 June 2014, for a period of shadow running prior to the transition in the public sector.</p><p> </p><p>CRCs are responsible for managing their own vacancies, and we are providing support and advice where required during the transition.</p><p> </p><p>We are implementing a new reporting tool for the National Probation Service from November 2014 which will enable us to capture NPS vacancies centrally to support our workforce planning.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to June 2014 probation services were delivered by 35 Probation Trusts. The Trusts were responsible for managing their own vacancies and no central records were maintained of staffing levels against requirements.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 17/11/2014 12:18:09 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
tabling member	1499 label Biography information for Martin Horwood

93348

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Sexual Offences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been under sections 57 and 59 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in each of the last five years; and in how many such cases the victim was a child.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull North
tabling member printed	Diana Johnson
uin	210324
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>Regrettably, this information is still being assembled from a variety of statistical sources. Officials are contacting a number of individual courts to put together a response. I will write to the Honourable Member as soon as it is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House Library.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning grouped question UIN 210323 210325 question first answered 18/11/2014 16:37:47 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1533 label Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson