Contributions
1,452 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsI welcome that positive question. My hon. Friend is right that this this is going to take all of us working together across the prison system—everyone in His Majesty’s Prison and…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsI am afraid that it is a new year but the same sad, old Jenrick. The right hon. Gentleman clearly has not done his homework. He does not seem to know the difference between…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsA happy new year to you and to all in the House, Madam Deputy Speaker. On 1 January 2026, three prisoners absconded from HMP Leyhill, an open prison: Mr Thomas, Mr Washbourne and…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsI thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his probing. He will be aware that to deal with the crisis in prison capacity that the Tories left us, this is what we had to do. The…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsI thank the hon. Gentleman for that question. As he will be aware from my previous answers, absconds have actually decreased across our open prison estate: they have come down by…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsMy hon. Friend is right: the levels are decreasing. That is due to the strong and robust frameworks on absconding prisoners that we are putting in place. We inherited a prison…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsI totally agree with my hon. Friend. This is just another symptom of the crisis we inherited in our criminal justice system. Whether prisons, courts or probation, every single…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsThe right hon. Lady will be aware that the decision regarding Parole Board recommendations to move prisoners to open prisons has been made by successive Governments. This is a…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsWhen a prisoner absconds from open conditions, the prison must notify the police immediately, so that officers can locate the individual and return them to custody. Local…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsThat is a good point. The prisoners who have absconded were at the end of their sentences. They were working through rehabilitation in order to reintegrate into society. They have…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsNothing—absolutely nothing. Absconds decreased under the previous Labour Government, and that trend carried on under the Tories until they failed—they have the poorest ever…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsThe hon. Lady is correct. We are investing in the IT systems in our prisons, which are needed to reduce releases in error, and in the brilliant and brave men and women who serve…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsI welcome my hon. Friend’s question. He is right: amnesia seems to be going around the Opposition a lot faster these days. In July last year, as well as refreshing internal…05 Jan 2026HANSARDHMP Leyhill: Offender AbscondmentsI welcome the questions from the Liberal Democrat spokesperson. To reassure the House, offenders who are serving a life sentence or an IPP sentence for public protection will be…05 Jan 2026HANSARDInternational Child Abduction: Domestic AbuseI welcome the hon. Lady’s question and her continued engagement on this really important issue. The Government are now considering initiating further qualitative research on the…16 Dec 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe hon. Lady may have missed the announcement that £550 million would be invested in victim support services, the biggest amount ever. I have met victim support services across…16 Dec 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is why we are determined to ensure that rape victims are treated with compassion and dignity throughout the entire criminal justice process.…16 Dec 2025HANSARD Criminal Justice System: WalesWe will always be evidence-led. The right hon. Lady mentioned that the issue is not political. We will always look at what the data is telling us, and I will happily work with her…16 Dec 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI can confirm that we have had positive conversations with the Scottish Government about extending the provision to Scotland. This is a matter for them, but we are engaging in…16 Dec 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend for that important question. It was an honour to meet him, victims and bereaved families who have been affected by this horrific situation. Our thoughts…16 Dec 2025