Contributions
760 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPrisoners: Indeterminate Sentences for Public ProtectionThe noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, made a very similar and powerful point in the recent debate on the probation services and the support they can give these prisoners in the…27 Oct 2022HANSARDPrisoners: Indeterminate Sentences for Public ProtectionMy Lords, the Government’s long-held view is that retrospectively altering imprisonment for public protection sentences would lead to an unacceptable risk to public safety.…27 Oct 2022HANSARDPrisoners: Indeterminate Sentences for Public ProtectionMy Lords, first, I make clear that the Government very much welcome the Select Committee report, which is a powerful document and makes for sober reading. On my noble friend’s…27 Oct 2022HANSARDPrisoners: Indeterminate Sentences for Public ProtectionI thank the noble Lord for his question. The Government will look at all those aspects. I echo that, in the debate the other day, if I read the transcript correctly, the word…27 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022In a sense, this is an inter partes procedure, with the Secretary of State on one hand and the prisoner on the other. The Secretary of State, like a party, is putting his view to…18 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022The Secretary of State has an overriding duty to protect the public. In that context, as the guardian of the safety of the public, he is entitled to present his view to the Parole…18 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022My Lords, with respect, I have always understood it to be the case—I hope I have not got this wrong—that an expert should not normally give his opinion on the very issue on which…18 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022My Lords, I am very grateful to all noble Lords who have contributed to this debate, and in particular to the noble Baroness, Lady Prashar, for tabling this regret Motion. The…18 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022My understanding is that they are not to make recommendations. They can make their risk assessments and say whether there is a valid release plan; they can do all of those things.…18 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022My Lords, I respectfully submit that we are dealing with angels dancing on pins here. What is intended by this change is to make it clear that the responsibility for the decision…18 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022Perhaps I ought to try to bring this somewhat tetchy debate to a close. The Parole Board is required to decide that it should direct release if it is satisfied that the detention…18 Oct 2022HANSARDParole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022If I may respectfully point this out to the noble and learned Lord, the Secretary of State with his single view does not pre-empt the decision of the Parole Board. He presents a…18 Oct 2022HANSARDHer Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIMy Lords, when I had the great honour to be introduced in this House on 14 June this year, little did I imagine that mine would be the very last Letters Patent to be issued by Her…10 Sept 2022HANSARDEuropean Court of Human RightsThe position of interim measures under the convention, and in the jurisprudence of the European Court and its rules of procedure, is a matter of great delicacy that at the moment…05 Sept 2022HANSARDEuropean Court of Human RightsWhile I am on my feet—in view of the political situation, I fully understand why noble Lords want to have a little bit of amusement at my expense—I take this opportunity to thank…05 Sept 2022HANSARDEuropean Court of Human RightsMy Lords, the position is that those meetings have not yet taken place. It proved quite difficult to arrange them in the Recess and in the light of the impending change of…05 Sept 2022HANSARDEuropean Court of Human RightsWe remain a leading force for human rights in the Council of Europe; I will give two examples in response to my noble friend’s question. We are supporting the development of a…05 Sept 2022HANSARDEuropean Court of Human RightsI am afraid your Lordship’s question does not arise, since we are not withdrawing from the convention or indeed from the Council of Europe.05 Sept 2022HANSARDEuropean Court of Human RightsThe Government’s position is unchanged.05 Sept 2022HANSARDEuropean Court of Human RightsMy Lords, successive Governments have long expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the Court of Human Rights and its ability to manage a significant case load, but we…05 Sept 2022