Contributions
882 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFamily Courts: Domestic ViolenceWe consider that we have a specialised group of judges operating within the family courts. Having regard to the potential for backlogs, to which the noble Baroness refers, we…21 May 2019HANSARDFamily Courts: Domestic ViolenceMy Lords, I believe that the judiciary treat such early signs extremely seriously. Where an instance of domestic abuse comes before the courts, it is recognised that it may be…21 May 2019HANSARDFamily Courts: Domestic ViolenceMy Lords, the Government have today announced the establishment of an expert panel, which will hold a public call for evidence about how the family courts protect children and…21 May 2019HANSARDFamily Courts: Domestic ViolenceMy Lords, it is intended that this will be an expert panel with representatives of the third sector, the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice.21 May 2019HANSARDFamily Courts: Domestic ViolenceMy Lords, the Government are concerned to ensure full access to justice, particularly in such delicate cases as those involving children and domestic abuse. The draft domestic…21 May 2019HANSARDFamily Courts: Domestic ViolenceMy Lords, the intention is that the expert panel should meet in June, that it should report in a very short period and that we should then be guided by its findings. That will…21 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformI am obliged to the noble Lord for his observations and insight into the initial transformation that we brought about. I recognise, as he does, that there were deficiencies in…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformI am obliged to the noble Baroness for her questions. As I indicated earlier, the real cost of the recent changes fell not on the taxpayer but on the shareholders of the various…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformI did not say that the National Audit Office was wrong but pointed out that the actual cost of the CRC contracts was in fact substantially below the figure that had been budgeted…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformMy Lords, I welcome my noble friend Lord Bates back from his perambulations. We are of course concerned to ensure that through-the-gate services in particular can be developed to…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformNo, with respect. The cost of these contracts was estimated at about £1 billion more than the actual cost incurred for the foreshortened contracts.16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformI do not agree with the propositions advanced by the noble Lord at all, and I have confidence in these proposed reforms.16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformMy Lords, with the leave of the House I will repeat a Statement made in the other place by my right honourable friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. The…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformI am obliged to the noble Lord and welcome the fact that he has given consideration to these issues and is able to contribute to this matter with his interim report. No doubt he…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformMy Lords, I thank the noble Lords for their contributions. I do not accept the characterisation of these matters advanced by the noble Baroness, Lady Chakrabarti. Indeed, as I…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformMy Lords, I without hesitation and qualification commend the professionalism, integrity and ability of the staff within the probation service. That is why we are intent on…16 May 2019HANSARDProbation ReformMy Lords, I acknowledge that under the present scheme we have seen instances of excessive caseloads being placed upon probation officers, and we are concerned to address that…16 May 2019HANSARDCourts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill [HL]My Lords, this Bill is a further step in delivering legislation to underpin our ambitious court reform programme. Most of these measures have already been before Parliament as…14 May 2019HANSARDCourts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill [HL]My Lords, on the last point, I am not aware of any proposal to attempt to replicate the ability of our judiciary with artificial intelligence. I am obliged to the noble Lord, Lord…14 May 2019HANSARDCourts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill [HL]I do not suggest that there will be two systems operating in parallel, although it is perhaps the use of that word that I am concerned with. This will be the staged introduction…14 May 2019