Contributions
1,991 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDRape and Violence against Women and Girls: Prosecutions and ConvictionsI am very happy to look at that. We have a record-breaking amount from the spending review, certainly the largest in the past 10 years, for justice issues, and I will be looking…09 Nov 2021HANSARDFormer Offenders: Employment SupportOne issue we have discussed—I will be hosting prison governors at a roundtable shortly—is making sure that there is an immediate diagnosis within days of an offender getting into…09 Nov 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. He has been following it for some time, and I have worked with him on it in the past. We will make sure that we have the right…09 Nov 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy right hon. Friend is right that we have seen a 12% boost to the Department’s budget, which will see £11.5 billion invested by the end of the Parliament. That will help us build…09 Nov 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need a tailored approach to the female prison estate. I can tell her that the number of women in custody has fallen by almost a quarter…09 Nov 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsOver the last month, I have visited HMP High Down, Ford prison and the new state-of-the-art prison at Glen Parva. Today, we opened a new super-court at Loughborough, which will…09 Nov 2021HANSARDFormer Offenders: Employment SupportWe think that justice must be served; punishment is important. The short sentences are often for those who have systematically flouted and breached community sentences. To cut…09 Nov 2021HANSARDDrug Smuggling into PrisonsIn the 12 months to March 2021, the number of incidents in which drugs were found in prisons decreased by 6% to 20,295.09 Nov 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillMay I make a bit of progress? Let me take one immigration case by way of illustration. A claimant whose leave to remain was revoked because of his dishonesty challenged that…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillIt has not been broken, but I shall come on to address that when I deal with the devolution dimension in a little while. Of course there must be accountability, but allowing such…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillOf course I cannot second guess the judicial decisions made in individual cases, but what I can say is that of course we want to protect the integrity not just of judicial…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillIn fairness, I think I have presented the evidential basis: 750 cases each year and barely a 3% success rate. Of course, the integrity of the tribunal needs to be protected. There…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillI will make some progress; I have given way to the hon. and learned Lady twice. The Bill will reform quashing orders so that we can strike a better balance between the essential…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillMy hon. Friend makes a powerful argument. I have not heard the Factortame case cited in this House for some time—to the relief of some. Of course, there are many other contexts…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillI can give my hon. Friend, who chairs the Justice Committee, the reassurance that he is looking for. If he looks at clause 1(8)(c) and (d), he will see that “the interests or…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillWe have addressed that issue in response to the report that the Select Committee put out. Our position has not changed. What I would say to the hon. Lady is that I am mindful of…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillMy hon. Friend has raised that point with me privately, and he has now raised it on the Floor of the House. I am committed to looking at it and getting back to him. I understand…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillThe hon. Lady is right to raise that concern. All of this work to modernise court and tribunal proceedings, which is necessary in its own right, will help to bring down the…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillI thank my hon. Friend for the work he and the magistrates have done. They hear 85% of criminal cases. The backlog in the magistrates court is already coming down. We thank the…26 Oct 2021HANSARD Judicial Review and Courts BillThe hon. Gentleman makes a fair challenge. However, he should ignore the pleadings from those on his Front Bench and support this Bill, because, overall, as well as dealing with…26 Oct 2021