This Government is committed to ensuring that victims of crime have access to high-quality, effective and timely support to help them cope with and, as far as possible, recover from the effects of crime.<\/p>
<\/p>
In September last year, the Government published \u201cOur Commitment to Victims\u201d, which included a commitment to establish a new nationwide Victims\u2019 Information Service. This will provide the first \u2018one stop shop\u2019 to ensure better information and support is available and easily accessible to any victim of crime\u2013 whether they are searching for local support services or want to find out more about what to expect from the Criminal Justice System.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has made more money than ever before available for victims\u2019 support services in England and Wales, increasing the contribution offenders make to the costs of providing support and almost doubling the budget in previous years from £50m to £100m, with the majority allocated to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to ensure local provision matches local need. As part of this MoJ is working closely with PCCs to ensure that the Victims\u2019 Information Service and nationally commissioned services such as the court based witness service work with local services, to provide joined-up support to victims.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-27T15:43:19.813Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Victim Support Schemes"} , "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 he is taking to ensure there is consistent, co-ordinated and efficient access to victim support services in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame M. Morris"} ], "uin" : "221319"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174792", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174792/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This Government is committed to ensuring that victims of crime have access to high-quality, effective and timely support to help them cope and, as far as possible, recover from the effects of crime. We have made more money than ever before available for this purpose, increasing the contribution offenders make to the costs of providing support and almost doubling the budget in previous years from £50m to £100m.<\/p>
<\/p>
Locally accountable Police and Crime Commissioners are now responsible for the provision of support services in their areas and PCCs will receive the bulk of the available funding with which to do so \u2013 at least £60.8m in 2015/16.<\/p>
<\/p>
Ministers and officials regularly receive correspondence and representations on the funding of victims\u2019 services.<\/p>
<\/p>
There have also been a small number of individual representations from organisations on funding which are currently being considered by the Ministry of Justice.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-27T17:05:57.88Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Victim Support Schemes"} , "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 recent representations he has received on the future funding of victim support services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame M. Morris"} ], "uin" : "221320"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174794", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174794/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Rhyl County Court, which deals with family work, remains open.<\/p>
<\/p>
Denbigh Magistrates\u2019 Court closed in September 2013. The estimated savings arising from this closure are £230,000.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-27T15:53:52.47Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Courts: Wales"} , "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 estimate he has made of the savings to his Department arising from the closure of (a) Rhyl family court and (b) Denbigh magistrates' court.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/534", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Ruane"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Vale of Clwyd"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Ruane"} ], "uin" : "221368"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174455", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174455/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The final bids submitted by the remaining three bidders on 5 January 2015 for the competition for Compliance and Enforcement Services are going through a robust evaluation process and HMCTS will award the contract based upon the bidder which submits the most economically advantageous tender. The evaluation criteria takes into account price and non price factors and the overall achievability and financial viability of the bids.<\/p>
<\/p>
In addition to this the agreement that will be put in place with the selected service provider will deliver value for money through a combination of the payment mechanism which incorporates a Payment By Results element based upon performance, Key Performance Indicators and penalties for underperformance.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-22T16:03:03.42Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Procurement"} , "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 he is taking to ensure that the successful bidder for Compliance and Enforcement Service Project offers value for money.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1516", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy Slaughter"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hammersmith"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Andy Slaughter"} ], "uin" : "221188"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174456", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174456/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ministry of Justice officials met, including telephone conferences, with Urban Vision on one occasion and with Stoke on Trent City Council on three occasions in the last three months. There are no further meetings scheduled to take place. The MoJ is now in commercial discussions for the sale of the property to a private bidder.<\/p>
<\/p>
Members of the community in Stoke-on-Trent have made their views on the court building clear to us, and we have engaged in constructive dialogue with Urban Vision as they developed their business case.<\/p>
<\/p>
Following those discussions, we offered to transfer ownership of the building to Stoke-on-Trent City Council, for a peppercorn rate so they could work with Urban Vision and others on the long term future of the building. Unfortunately the council has declined that offer and sadly now we will be looking to sell the court.<\/p>
<\/p>
We were keen to explore solutions that suited the community but we have a duty to get best value for the taxpayer when disposing of surplus property and this building had been empty for over two years.<\/p>
<\/p>
We will be paying for three of the war memorials to be carefully relocated to the nearby Fenton Christ Church. There will be a legal duty for whoever buys the building to preserve the Minton Memorial which cannot be safely moved.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "221235"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-22T16:08:51.59Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Town Halls: Fenton"} , "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, when the next meeting between officials of his Department, Urban Vision and Stoke-on-Trent City Council to discuss Fenton Town Hall will take place.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1569", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Flello"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stoke-on-Trent South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Robert Flello"} ], "uin" : "221182"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174457", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174457/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Crime is falling and is at its lowest level since records began in 1981, as per the Crime Survey in England and Wales. Since 2010 those who do offend are more likely to go to prison and for longer than ever before. For the first time in ten years, an immediate prison sentence is the most common disposal for indictable offences.
This follows a series of measures by the Government to toughen up sentencing and make sure those who commit these crimes face a significant term in prison, including an automatic life sentence for a second serious sexual or violent offence.
There are also several measures to strengthen sentencing in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill, which has completed its passage through Parliament and awaits Royal Assent. These include ensuring that all dangerous offenders who receive the tough Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS) are no longer automatically released two-thirds of the way through their custodial term. The Government has also banned the use of simple cautions for serious offences.
We are also determined that our justice system delivers the right outcomes for victims of crime and the public as a whole, and we have made great strides in recent years \u2013 not least through smarter use of technology, and joined-up working.
The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates\u2019 courts and found guilty, along with conviction ratio at all courts of the offences specified in the question from 2009 to 2013 can be viewed in the tables as detailed below:-
Figures for Surrey can be viewed in Table 1
Figures for the South East of England can be viewed in Table 2
Figures for England as a whole can be viewed in Table 3
There are no courts in the Borough of Elmbridge; hence the figure for that portion of the question is zero. The Ministry of Justice court proceedings database cannot specifically identify the exact location of offences. These figures are based on the location of the court hearing the case.
Conviction ratio is provided in place of conviction rate as a case can be commenced in one year and concluded in a subsequent year.
A defendant may be convicted in a different year to that in which they were proceeded against. Variation in the conviction ratio can be caused either by a change in the percentage of cases that end in conviction or by a change in the percentage of cases that end in a conviction in the same year as the original proceeding. Therefore fluctuations in data, particularly in the last year for which figures are available can be misleading.
Rates of convictions as a percentage of reported crime cannot be provided. The Home Office collects data on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police. Of these, some crimes may be subsequently \u2018no crimed\u2019 (for example if it is believed a crime did not actually take place or was incorrectly recorded as a crime).
Therefore, conviction rates as a percentage of recorded crime could therefore present a misleading picture.
Court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in Spring 2015.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174457/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "PQ 221192 - Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts.xls"}
, "title" : "Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-02-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-10T09:55:12.027Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Convictions"}
, "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 the (a) number of convictions, (b) conviction rate as a percentage of prosecutions brought and (c) rate of convictions as a percentage of crimes reported was for (i) murder, (ii) grievous bodily harm, (iii) sexual offences, (iv) burglary, (v) robbery, (vi) theft, (vii) criminal damage, (viii) public order offences, (ix) drug offences, (x) driving offences and (xi) all offences in (A) Elmbridge, (B) Surrey, (C) the South East of England and (D) England in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4007", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dominic Raab"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Esher and Walton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Dominic Raab"}
], "uin" : "221192"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174458", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/174458/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ministry of Justice officials met, including telephone conferences, with Urban Vision on one occasion and with Stoke on Trent City Council on three occasions in the last three months. There are no further meetings scheduled to take place. The MoJ is now in commercial discussions for the sale of the property to a private bidder.<\/p>
<\/p>
Members of the community in Stoke-on-Trent have made their views on the court building clear to us, and we have engaged in constructive dialogue with Urban Vision as they developed their business case.<\/p>
<\/p>
Following those discussions, we offered to transfer ownership of the building to Stoke-on-Trent City Council, for a peppercorn rate so they could work with Urban Vision and others on the long term future of the building. Unfortunately the council has declined that offer and sadly now we will be looking to sell the court.<\/p>
<\/p>
We were keen to explore solutions that suited the community but we have a duty to get best value for the taxpayer when disposing of surplus property and this building had been empty for over two years.<\/p>
<\/p>
We will be paying for three of the war memorials to be carefully relocated to the nearby Fenton Christ Church. There will be a legal duty for whoever buys the building to preserve the Minton Memorial which cannot be safely moved.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "221182"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-22T16:08:51.73Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Town Halls: Fenton"} , "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, on how many occasions officials from his Department have met (a) Urban Vision and (b) Stoke-on-Trent City Council to discuss Fenton Town Hall in the last three months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1569", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Flello"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stoke-on-Trent South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Robert Flello"} ], "uin" : "221235"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 7, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }