Contributions
2,005 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCourt BacklogsThe inheritance from the previous Government was shocking, and at the heart of it were victims suffering. What we are doing is increasing the number of sitting days, which is…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI am grateful for the steer. You know how it is, Madam Deputy Speaker; this is my first outing, and I was getting a little carried away with how good this Bill is. The intensive…16 Sept 2025HANSARDCourt BacklogsMy hon. Friend highlights almost two decades of the SNP running Scotland into the ground. Here, we have had a record increase of £92 million. On the day we introduce the…16 Sept 2025HANSARDProbation ServiceI was with probation officers last week, in my first visit as Secretary of State—it was important that probation was the first place I went to because the work and dedication of…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI am going to make some progress. The Bill introduces a new progression model for standard determinate sentences, incentivising offenders to behave in prison. It draws heavily on…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI understand the seriousness of the point the Father of the House makes. Let me say this. First, we are not abolishing short sentences. The presumption to suspend short sentences…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillMy hon. Friend knows that in my previous role, I unfortunately saw the increased risk of state threats and the pedagogy through which states are committing those crimes. It is…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising that issue, which was why I ensured that my first visit in post was to a probation setting. I pay tribute to our probation workers.…16 Sept 2025HANSARDCourt BacklogsThe hon. Lady is completely right. Victims must see justice being done in real time. That is why we asked Brian Leveson to do the second part of his review, on efficiencies, which…16 Sept 2025HANSARDCourt BacklogsI am always happy to do anything—I did it in my last role and I will do it in this role—to ensure that anyone terrorising is convicted. That is quite properly a matter for law…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillDomestic violence is a serious issue. That is why having a flag in the system is important to ensure appropriate provision for that particular cohort of offenders who might leave…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI will always give way to a brass neck.16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI have to say, the hon. Gentleman has not challenged the 500 figure. He should read the Ministry of Justice releases. Five hundred! We will have 14,000 by 2031—16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillIf the hon. Gentleman stops baying like a child and lets me come to the point, he asks me about the Conservatives’ record and their record was this: violence up in prisons,…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI pay tribute to the right hon. Member’s constituents for fighting to ensure that we got the balance right. At the heart of this—again, I will come on to this, and I know it will…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillThe truth is that we are building places faster than the Victorians did. [ Interruption. ] We will have built 14,000 by 2031—16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillI have had fun with the hon. Gentleman, but I must make some progress. The Government are funding the largest expansion since the Victorians. In our first year, we opened nearly…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillThe hon. Gentleman has to read the Bill, because it does not reduce sentences. He really has to get to grips with the detail of the Bill—I hope these things can be discussed in…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Sentencing BillThat is a very good summary. We must have punishment that works, and I will talk about that later in my speech. When we look at the record of the previous Government, and I have…16 Sept 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI agree with my hon. Friend 100%—and not just because a lot of those officers are Spurs supporters.16 Sept 2025