Contributions
1,991 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEuropean Convention on Human RightsI do not think that many people take issue with the convention. Of course, it was negotiated at a very different time and place. The real issue has been the mission creep and the…21 Feb 2023HANSARDEuropean Convention on Human RightsNo one is more committed to the integrity of the UK than this Government. I set out the position on the Bill of Rights earlier. We have made it clear that we would not rule out…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs always, the Chair of the Justice Committee draws our attention to critical developments in the criminal justice system. Data and that initiative are incredibly important. The…21 Feb 2023HANSARDStrengthening Human RightsWe introduced the Bill of Rights to this House, which will limit the abuse of human rights and restore some common sense. I have regular discussions with my colleagues,…21 Feb 2023HANSARDEuropean Convention on Human RightsI am surprised to hear the SNP talk about extreme members of other parties. At the moment, the UK’s single biggest human rights concern is the trade in misery we see with the…21 Feb 2023HANSARDEuropean Convention on Human RightsThe hon. Gentleman needs to read the Bill of Rights. It envisages that we will stay a state party to the ECHR, which is retained in a schedule, so all his other concerns melt away.21 Feb 2023HANSARDStrengthening Human RightsI remind the hon. Lady that this Government introduced single-sex marriage—I did so proudly, along with my colleagues—and there is nothing in our reforms that would undo the…21 Feb 2023HANSARDEuropean Convention on Human RightsWe can remain absolutely committed to the Good Friday agreement with the Bill of Rights, not least because—the hon. Gentleman would know this if he had bothered to read it—the…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsSince the last Justice oral questions, I have announced the expansion of incentivised substance-free living units from 25 to 45 prisons and investment in up to 18 abstinence-based…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsHow could I resist such a tantalising offer? My hon. Friend makes the case powerfully. As the Prisons Minister just said, this can bring huge opportunities to the local economy,…21 Feb 2023HANSARDStrengthening Human RightsThe hon. Lady will be shocked to know that I did not agree with all the contents of the JCHR report, but I refer to the statements we have made on how we have approached the…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend and pay tribute to him for the work he did as Prisons Minister—I remember it, because I was a junior Minister in the Department at the same time. He is…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsOf course, as the retained EU law Bill goes through, we will consider any significant issues that are raised, but that Bill is critically important as we take control of our own…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe published our response to the Bellamy review and the criminal legal aid independent review, and indeed are already implementing those reforms. They include uplifts of 15% to…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe challenge is less gaps in the law and more evidential difficulties in bringing prosecutions, but I share the hon. Lady’s aim to do everything we can with new technology to…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank the hon. Gentleman, who I know has a very considered and long-standing interest in this issue. Legal aid needs more money, which is why we are increasing spend by up to…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI certainly support the hon. Gentleman’s pursuit of maximum transparency. If he is having problems, he can feel free to drop me a line and I will see what I can do, but the FOI…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank the hon. Lady. Of all the public servants I have worked with in my time as a Minister and an MP, none command greater respect than prison officers. I understand the huge…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend is right about this. It is one of the crusading missions we have, along with getting offenders into work. That is why we are increasing the number of incentivised…21 Feb 2023HANSARDTopical QuestionsI pay tribute to prison officers for the amazing job that they have done—particularly through the pandemic, but also more generally. We often pay tribute to frontline emergency…10 Jan 2023