Contributions
1,107 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDAccess to JusticeI am very pleased to have an opportunity to highlight the important work that we are doing in the criminal justice system. Last year, we spent £882 million on criminal legal aid…12 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs the hon. Gentleman will know, thresholds across the board, including in relation to criminal legal aid, are part of the legal aid review that we are now undertaking.12 Mar 2019HANSARDAccess to Justice: Court Staffing and ClosuresOur court reform programme is one of the most ambitious in the world. We recently held a seminar at which at least 20 other countries were represented. They talked about their…12 Mar 2019HANSARDAccess to Justice: Court Staffing and ClosuresAs I mentioned, when we undertake court closures—they are undertaken very carefully, and the Lord Chancellor does not undertake these decisions lightly—we look at court…12 Mar 2019HANSARDFemale Genital Mutilation: ProsecutionMy hon. Friend is not only a constituency MP in Faversham and Kent but the Conservative party vice-chair for women. She makes a really important point about the number of women…12 Mar 2019HANSARDFemale Genital Mutilation: ProsecutionThe hon. Gentleman makes an important point about the importance of all cases that come to court. Obviously, for those who have been the victim of horrific sexual crimes,…12 Mar 2019HANSARDAccess to JusticeAs the right hon. Gentleman said, we have recently done a legal aid review. As part of that review, we were not obliged to look into thresholds because there were not very many…12 Mar 2019HANSARDAccess to JusticeI am fully aware of the issues that these women face. I am very pleased to have held a number of roundtables, as part of our understanding for the review, with a number of…12 Mar 2019HANSARDChildren Conceived through RapeThe hon. Lady raises an important and sensitive issue, but I would like to reassure her that our family law system is centred around the child and the welfare of the child. When…12 Mar 2019HANSARDChildren Conceived through RapeI am aware of the case the hon. Lady refers to, and I am pleased to have met Sammy Woodhouse some time ago, along with other Members of Parliament, to discuss the issue. We are…12 Mar 2019HANSARDAccess to Justice: Court Staffing and ClosuresI would like to assure the hon. Lady that any decision to close a court is not taken lightly, but in circumstances where 41% of our courts operated in 2016-17 at half their…12 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend is right to highlight that we need to speed up the hearing times for people’s welfare claims. There are two aspects to that: the first is that we need to work with…12 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsI have had a number of meetings with my counterpart in the DWP, and my officials discuss this issue with the DWP regularly. I and my counterpart in the DWP will undertake a joint…12 Mar 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsLaw centres play an absolutely fundamental role. I recently visited Bromley by Bow Centre and Islington Law Centre. As part of our pilots, law centres will be able to bid for new…12 Mar 2019HANSARDDraft Services of Lawyers and Lawyer’s Practice (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Services of Lawyers and Lawyer’s Practice (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. It is a pleasure to serve under your…12 Mar 2019HANSARDDraft Services of Lawyers and Lawyer’s Practice (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019I thank the hon. Lady for indicating that she would not divide the Committee, which is a very constructive way forward. As I mentioned, Switzerland is introducing its own…12 Mar 2019HANSARDFemale Genital Mutilation: ProsecutionLast night, the House unanimously passed legislation to further protect women and girls from the horrific crime of FGM, and I am pleased that my hon. Friend the Member for Mid…12 Mar 2019HANSARDChildren Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill [Lords]The Government are pleased both to support this Bill and to give it Government time. It is a very short piece of legislation. With two clauses, it is a simple Bill intended to…11 Mar 2019HANSARDChildren Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill [Lords]indicated assent .11 Mar 2019HANSARDChildren Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mr McCabe. The Government support this small but very helpful Bill, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond…05 Mar 2019