Contributions
399 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSeparation Centres: Terrorist OffendersI am not an expert in healthcare, but I am an expert in prisons. I see prisoners getting incredible levels of support, often in regimes that are running hot. My personal…25 Nov 2025HANSARDSeparation Centres: Terrorist OffendersMy noble friend is right to raise this question. One of the things that surprises me going round prisons now compared with 25 years ago is how much more violence there is on our…25 Nov 2025HANSARDSeparation Centres: Terrorist OffendersI do not know the exact facts. I will write to the noble Baroness on the exact details on violence in women’s prisons, but there are two facts that are very worrying: the rate of…25 Nov 2025HANSARDSeparation Centres: Terrorist OffendersAs I said to my noble friend, we are considering appealing the decision. It is also important that the staff who work in our separation centres have the skills they need to care…25 Nov 2025HANSARDSeparation Centres: Terrorist OffendersSeparation centres protect the public from the most serious offenders. A small number of prisoners are held in these centres. The regime is purposeful activity, limited…25 Nov 2025HANSARDSeparation Centres: Terrorist OffendersI thank my noble friend. We are carefully considering the High Court ruling on the Abu case, including considering appealing the decision. Our decisions are based on risk, and the…25 Nov 2025HANSARDSeparation Centres: Terrorist OffendersThe Government are carefully considering the findings of Jonathan Hall KC’s independent review into the operation of separation centres, which was commissioned following the…25 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorMy Lords, I thank the noble and learned Lord, Lord Keen, and the noble Lord, Lord Marks, for the points they have made on this important issue. On Tuesday at 3.30 pm, the Deputy…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorMy noble friend is right that we have an opportunity to simplify and make more accurate decisions in the justice system. We have to grasp this, and we have to grasp it quickly. AI…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorMy noble friend is right that the checklist is important. It may sound like a basic process but it is vital. At the moment, it is a combination of paperwork and computers. It is…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorThe noble Lord is right that we are 100% dependent on the good will and ability of our staff. Our staff in the Prison and Probation Service have been heroic over the past few…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorThe noble Baroness is right that these staff are doing fantastic work and we are lucky to have them, but it is also important that net migration comes down. We are supporting…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorI thank my noble friend, and former room buddy, for that question. One conversation that we have a lot in the Ministry of Justice is the tie-up between the courts and prisons. I…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorI will not be giving a running commentary on the numbers, but we will be publishing the breakdown of all that detail in the normal way in July next year. It is important to…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorI thank the noble Lord for speaking to me after the debate a couple of days ago. He quite rightly asked me to phone him. I will phone him as soon as I have that correct…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorThe digital team that has gone into Wandsworth is confident that it can do some quick fixes. I do not have an exact timeline, but we have given it up to £10 million to do those…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorI thank my noble friend for the question, especially referring to victims. Victims always have to come first. I appreciate what a difficult time it must have been for victims and…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorI have been to a number of young offender institutions over the years, and they are quite challenging—I would describe them even as harrowing places sometimes—but also places of…13 Nov 2025HANSARDPrisoner Releases in ErrorMy noble friend is right to bring up drones. Not a day goes by in my office without that subject coming up. Yesterday I had a meeting with a number of governors of our…13 Nov 2025HANSARDSentencing BillMy Lords, it is my pleasure to bring this Bill for its Second Reading. I start by thanking the former Lord Chancellor, David Gauke, and his team for his independent sentencing…12 Nov 2025