Contributions
1,222 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (Second sitting)Q Finally, one welcome measure in the Bill flips around the concept of where offenders can go and where victims are protected from seeing them, because it should be the offenders…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (Second sitting)Q I now turn to something more clearly focused on the specialist areas in which you work, which is parental responsibility. The Bill introduces a measure that means that if…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (Second sitting)Q I want to ask about the measures introduced by the Government to compel defendants to appear at sentencing hearings. We have tabled an amendment to suggest that when that takes…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (Second sitting)Q I want to ask about victim personal statements, commonly referred to as victim impact statements. I have spoken to victims of crime who have been told that they have to change…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (Second sitting)Q 55 I will start by asking about the unduly lenient sentence scheme. I do not know whether you are familiar with this scenario, but it allows anybody—including victims and the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Do you want to add anything, Clare? Clare Moody: In terms of the involvement of the victim in that decision making, as Genna said, there are complications around getting the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q I also want to ask you about the new power that is being introduced in the Bill to compel offenders to attend sentencing hearings. We are tabling an amendment to suggest that…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q Okay. I would like to ask you next about sentencing remarks. Again, you work with victims; you see at first hand, through your victim care work, the trauma of a court process.…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q If I may interrupt—sorry—do you think 28 days is enough? Clare Moody: I would want to come back to you on that point specifically and separately, because I do not feel right now…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q Hello. I am Dr Kieran Mullan, shadow Justice Minister. I want to begin with the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Obviously, you will work directly with victims, and the outcome…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q I appreciate that some of what you deal with would not end up involving a magistrate passing a sentence, but sometimes that will be the case. Would it benefit transparency for…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q Related to that is the issue of fines, which are separate from compensation. I accept your point about people’s ability to pay, and that there is always a process that ensures…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q Good morning. I am Dr Kieran Mullan, a shadow Justice Minister. The antisocial behaviour that your work focuses on is often resolved, at least initially, through non-custodial…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q A final question from me. I am conscious of time, so I will direct this question to Dame Nicole because of your particular expertise in domestic abuse. You will be aware that…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q I want to ask about the requirement for defendants to attend the sentencing hearing. I have spoken to victims who are quite robust in wanting to see that implemented, even if a…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q I want to move on to questions about the victim personal statement, commonly referred to as a victim impact statement. I know we have discussed this, and there is widespread…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q I am Dr Kieran Mullan, the shadow Justice Minister. I should say for transparency that I have had the opportunity to meet Katie and Baroness Newlove to discuss some of the…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (First sitting)Q Thank you. One of the amendments that the Opposition are tabling would introduce a greater freedom for victims and family members to speak more freely in their victim impact…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (Second sitting)Finally, I just point out again that our amendment addresses the issue of making threats, for example. Those are things that you cannot do anyway, in terms of free speech, so our…17 Jun 2025HANSARDVictims and Courts Bill (Second sitting)Q I just point out that the statement is used post conviction, so it would not influence the jury—it is for the judge. Do you accept that our amendment, which emphasises that it…17 Jun 2025