Contributions
334 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Public Office (Accountability) BillI am grateful to my right hon. Friend for the time she has spent with me in raising this and other issues. Under our proposed expansion, multiple family members will be able to…14 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersWhat I wish to do is pay tribute to the work of our prison and probation officers, many of whom do some of the hardest jobs in public life. The right hon. Member for South Holland…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI am going to make some progress. Conservative Members have talked many times in this debate about how we got here, but they have not been honest about how we got here.07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI am grateful to all right hon. and hon. Members who have contributed to the debate. As Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, I pay tribute to the…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI have listened very carefully to this debate. I will always listen to victims, but I want to ensure that I can look them in the eyes and know that when offenders are convicted…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersThere is no specific offence on grooming gangs. This Government have been absolutely clear that we will ensure there will always be prison cells for people when they are convicted…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI am going to make some progress. I did work experience with the police as a teenager, back when this country had a Labour Government who were recruiting thousands of additional…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI will ensure that the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Jake Richards), writes to the hon. Lady.07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI trained to be a barrister and spent my first years in practice at a time when victims waited months for their court trials, rather than years. At that time, the previous Labour…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI want to finish the point, because it is essential that we know where we started, which was with the cutting of 20,000 police officers from our streets. It took a decade to claw…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI am going to continue to make some progress, but I will give way shortly.07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI will not. Licence conditions include exclusion zones and a non-contact requirement where appropriate. All victims will also have a clear route to request the information that…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersI will not give way. A number of hon. Members have spoken passionately about victims, and rightly so. We understand that these issues will be difficult and upsetting for many…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersNo one in the Government takes decisions about release from custody lightly. These decisions affect public confidence, victims, communities, and those responsible for managing…07 Jul 2026HANSARDEarly Release of PrisonersIt adds to the seriousness of the offence—it is considered an aggravating feature when it comes to sentencing. Obviously, sentences are determined by judges, as is absolutely…07 Jul 2026HANSARDSupport for Victims of AbuseThe Government have published the victim impact assessment and are ensuring that people are communicated with. What is essential is that the Government have a violence against…30 Jun 2026HANSARDSupport for Victims of AbuseIt is powerful to hear about the impact that Women’s Aid is having in my hon. Friend’s constituency. I visited Black Country Women’s Aid and Solace Women’s Aid in London and…30 Jun 2026HANSARDSupport for Victims of AbuseMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. Child contact services provide safe and neutral spaces for children to meet parents or other family members that they do not live with as part…30 Jun 2026HANSARDTopical QuestionsNon-consensual intimate images, and the kinds of images that the hon. Lady talks about, are absolutely disgusting. This Government have taken action to ensure that they will be…30 Jun 2026HANSARDSupport for Victims of AbuseI thank my hon. Friend for raising the hugely vital work that the Liberty Centre does. Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to assess and address the need for…30 Jun 2026