Contributions
2,978 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I thank my right hon. Friend for reminding the Committee and me exactly where I sit in the hierarchy of Government. As a former senior Minister himself, he will know that my…24 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I appreciate the shadow Minister’s point, but the truth is we will not have had the chance to deal properly with all the other offences by Report, which is in just a week and a…24 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)Giving evidence by live link in proceedings is obviously different from section 28, which applies to pre-recorded evidence and cross-examination. In answer to the question about…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)I am grateful to the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Stockton North, and the hon. Member for Rotherham for raising this important issue. Clearly, all hon. Members from across…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)Yes, consideration of the available provision needs to form part of the review to ensure that, if the option were to be withdrawn, rarely used though it is, appropriate provision…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)Yes, that is exactly the type of question the review should consider, along with the counterfactual question of what would happen if this measure is not used. Both alternatives…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)Clearly, the provision of alternative accommodation in those circumstances is the most desirable outcome. We need to think carefully and make sure we have covered the full range…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Yes. The Law Commission has been commissioned already and the remit, to which it has agreed—it has not been debated—is to examine the law, guidance and practice relating to the…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Broadly speaking, the Government are keen to see alternatives to short custodial sentences. That is why we have been forward in promoting alternatives, such as community sentence…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I was about to sit down, but I can see that the member of the Committee from a Scottish seat wants to intervene, and it would be churlish not to accept.22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)We do recognise that there are challenges in making sure that offenders leaving prison are given access to the services they need, so that they can get their lives back on track.…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)In terms of ensuring that people have access to the necessary services—we recognise that that needs to be done—significantly increased investment is being made to address the…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I do understand the point, but public transport clearly does operate on a Friday and, indeed, on a Saturday and a Sunday for the most part. It is instructive that, over the last…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)I thank the shadow Minister for drawing attention to the statistic. As I said earlier, the focus is on investing to make sure that services are available—the £50 million and the…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)Always happy to work together on any issue.22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)As always, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Charles. New clause 3 seeks to remove the provision in the Bail Act 1976 for a defendant to be refused bail where…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)Yes, although I will probably sit down now. We are obviously looking at a very bespoke set of circumstances concerning female prisoners in Wales released on a Friday. I hear the…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)He is getting busier.22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Eighteenth sitting)As the shadow Minister made clear in his opening remarks, these are incredibly serious offences that leave victims traumatised and distressed, and the psychological scars are…22 Jun 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Seventeenth sitting)Let me finish the sentence—for all the circumstances that may arise in an individual case. Therefore, although we have guidelines, procedures and so on, ultimately, the management…22 Jun 2021