Contributions
394 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Divorce, Dissolution and Separation BillI am greatly encouraged by the quality of the debate that we have had today and by the broad support that the Bill has received from Members on both sides of the House. I…25 Jun 2019HANSARD Divorce, Dissolution and Separation BillI may well deal with that point briefly later in my speech. It is worth pointing out that the breakdown of a marriage and the legal process of divorce that comes after it are two…25 Jun 2019HANSARD Court Closures: Access to JusticeIt is a pleasure to take part in this debate, or should I call it a Justice Committee reunion? I feel rather inadequate in never having been part of this fantastic Committee, with…20 Jun 2019HANSARD Court Closures: Access to JusticeI have heard many of those concerns, not least from judges themselves, about the role of video hearings. I recognise that there is a particular sensitivity here, which I am…20 Jun 2019HANSARD Court Closures: Access to JusticeI will always give way to the Chairman of the Select Committee.20 Jun 2019HANSARDWomen entering CustodyThe hon. Lady makes an important point. We know that women leaving prison have a range of quite distinct needs: they have higher reoffending rates than men, 39% go into unsettled…12 Jun 2019HANSARDWomen entering CustodyThat is two questions for the price of one, which I will seek to answer. As the hon. Gentleman will know, we are recruiting significant numbers of prison officers—over 2,000…12 Jun 2019HANSARDWomen entering CustodyLast summer, our female offender strategy set out priorities for supporting women at risk of entering the criminal justice system. As part of that strategy, we will be publishing…12 Jun 2019HANSARDLegal Aid ReformAccess to justice remains a fundamental right and the Government are committed to ensuring everyone can get the support they need to access the justice system. We recently…04 Jun 2019HANSARDLegal Aid ReformMy hon. Friend is clearly easily pleased by my answers. Last year we spent £1.6 billion alone on legal aid, and that will continue. Our legal support action plan includes such…04 Jun 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsI gently advise the hon. Gentleman that in his constituency that would be a matter for the Scottish Government. Beyond that, I recognise that it is an issue across the country. We…04 Jun 2019HANSARDSupport for Litigants in Family CourtsI am pleased to hear about that example at Anglia Ruskin University. Our litigants in person strategy is a very important part of what we do. We have been spending £1.5 million a…04 Jun 2019HANSARDSupport for Litigants in Family CourtsI am grateful for the hon. Lady’s initial support. There is a balance to be struck between speed of action, getting the right decision-making process in place and coming up with…04 Jun 2019HANSARDSupport for Litigants in Family CourtsI am grateful for that interesting perspective in my early days in the job. I will clearly have to go away and look at what CAFCASS says and does, and I look forward to meeting…04 Jun 2019HANSARDSexual Offences Act 2003: Definition of Positions of TrustI would be happy to meet my hon. Friend and Peter Wanless from the NSPCC. My hon. Friend rightly makes a number of points that need to be borne in mind. We have to give an element…04 Jun 2019HANSARDSexual Offences Act 2003: Definition of Positions of TrustThis is why we are having a review to ensure that we understand whether the law is working correctly and young people are being protected. I understand the points being made about…04 Jun 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: Assessment of ImplicationsThe Government continue to believe that leaving with a deal is the best outcome for the UK. For my Department, this means seeking a new agreement on civil digital co-operation as…04 Jun 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: Assessment of ImplicationsWe have always made it clear that we do not seek a no deal. We have also made it clear that any future security partnership with the EU would have to include protecting our shared…04 Jun 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am very aware of this issue, which I have been discussing with various people at the top end of HMCTS. It is important that we recruit sufficient judges, on which we need to do…04 Jun 2019HANSARDSupport for Litigants in Family CourtsI am sure we were all shocked by the example raised by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Louise Haigh). My first decision was to ensure that the inquiry panel was…04 Jun 2019