Contributions
428 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDDevolution of Justice: WalesThe hon. Gentleman makes a good point. For every community that is affected by a court closure, the judiciary and the MOJ have to take into account access to justice. My…29 Nov 2022HANSARDDevolution of Justice: WalesIt has been a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship today, Mr Vickers; I think this is your first outing in the Chair. I congratulate the right hon. Member for Dwyfor…29 Nov 2022HANSARDDevolution of Justice: WalesMy right hon. Friend asked a very pertinent question and did not get a clear answer from the hon. Member for Cardiff North (Anna McMorrin). My understanding is that the official…29 Nov 2022HANSARDIndependent Review of Criminal Legal AidI know that the Lord Chancellor—he is his own predecessor, as was pointed out—has been committed to ensuring that the system remains correctly funded within the spending envelope.…22 Nov 2022HANSARDCriminal Justice System: Racial DisparityWe have implemented the majority of the actions that we committed to in response to the Lammy review. The hon. Gentleman raises important points regarding the over-representation…22 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe are working hard to ensure that we recruit over 1,000 new judges. We are allowing 80 circuit judges and 125 fee-paid recorders to sit for more days to ensure we increase…22 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsFirst, I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s work on pursuing this important issue. As she said, the law will come into effect in February 2023. I can confirm that cross-departmental…22 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI do not accept the hon. Member’s characterisation. The Government have invested—22 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe Government have invested significantly in the criminal justice system, not just through the recent settlement with the Criminal Bar Association, but in the run-up to the…22 Nov 2022HANSARDCommon PlatformWe have rolled out the Common Platform at 173 criminal courts in England and Wales and 76% of courts are now live. It has improved the format and timeliness of outcomes of…22 Nov 2022HANSARDCommon PlatformNo, I do not agree. All new IT systems take time to bed down and officials continue to work with user groups, both staff within the criminal justice system and judges. The system…22 Nov 2022HANSARDFamily Court: Waiting ListsWe established the family mediation voucher scheme in March 2021 to help to reduce the number of private law cases coming into court. We have invested nearly £9 million to date…22 Nov 2022HANSARDFamily Court: Waiting ListsMy understanding is that the voucher scheme has been successful, and that about 65% of families who have used it say that it kept them out of the court process. It is our…22 Nov 2022HANSARDFamily Court: Waiting ListsOur intention is to ensure that the backlogs go down by ensuring that as many families as possible are kept out of the court system through the use of schemes such as the family…22 Nov 2022HANSARDDeath Registration ProcessThe Ministry of Justice is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and the General Register Office on the implementation of a statutory medical examiners…22 Nov 2022HANSARDDeath Registration ProcessFirst, I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that I have discussed this specific issue of how faith communities are dealt with by the coroners service. I have discussed it with the…22 Nov 2022HANSARDIndependent Review of Criminal Legal AidIn March we consulted on our approach to recommendations made by the independent review of criminal legal aid, and we published our interim response in July. We have introduced a…22 Nov 2022HANSARDIndependent Review of Criminal Legal AidMy right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor meets all stakeholders on a regular basis, and I think he has a meeting coming up to address those very concerns. I am sure that he will…22 Nov 2022HANSARDCriminal Justice System: Racial DisparityIn response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, the Government’s inclusive Britain strategy sets out a clear commitment to tackling race and ethnic disparities in…22 Nov 2022HANSARDSocial Security Benefits Tribunal Hearing: Waiting TimesBetween April and June 2022, the average waiting time for benefits appeals in Northamptonshire was 46 weeks. In England it was 28 weeks. Waiting times can fluctuate due to a…22 Nov 2022