Contributions
1,152 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCrown Court BacklogMy hon. Friend is absolutely right that the old adage, “justice delayed is justice denied”, has come true. We know that we need bold reform. We have to get the backlog down, and…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogThe publication of Sir Brian Leveson’s review is due very soon. My hon. Friend will understand why I cannot give any the exact date, but once Sir Brian has published his findings,…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogI am rather surprised by that question from the hon. Gentleman, because he is normally across the detail. Let me tell him two points of detail that were missing from his question.…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. Victims on many occasions feel retraumatised by the criminal justice system because of the long delays. Defendants know that cases are taking…08 Jul 2025HANSARDGrooming Gangs: Criminal Justice SystemThe right hon. Gentleman will know that I cannot and will not comment on individual sentences. I urge him to live up to the responsibility of being the shadow Lord Chancellor,…08 Jul 2025HANSARDGrooming Gangs: Criminal Justice SystemThe hon. Gentleman raises an incredibly important point that was picked up by the Casey report, all the recommendations of which the Government have accepted, and I have no doubt…08 Jul 2025HANSARDGrooming Gangs: Criminal Justice SystemThe sexual exploitation and rape of children by grooming gangs is one of the darkest moments in this country’s recent history. In the Crime and Policing Bill, we have made…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogI thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for that question, but I would challenge him on two points. I do not think we are undermining justice in this country, when he himself…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogThe right hon. Gentleman raises a really important point, and I am grateful to him for doing so. Focusing on the children of prisoners was a manifesto commitment of our party,…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogMy hon. Friend is right that the performance of contractors needs to improve. He and I have discussed that, and the issue regularly comes up in oral questions in relation to the…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogThe hon. Gentleman is right that the delays in the system and the long waits for trials are causing huge amounts of trauma to victims, who regularly tell me, him and other Members…08 Jul 2025HANSARDDeporting Foreign Offenders: Prison CapacityRemovals under this Government have been higher over the past 12 months than under the Conservatives. We are going further by expanding the early removal scheme so that prisoners…08 Jul 2025HANSARDDeporting Foreign Offenders: Prison CapacityAs I say, we have already deported more people in the first year of this Government than was the case under the previous Government, so we are going faster on foreign national…08 Jul 2025HANSARDPrison SecurityThis year, we are investing over £40 million in physical security across 34 prisons, which includes anti-drone measures to prevent drugs and other illicit items from entering…08 Jul 2025HANSARDPrison SecurityI thank my hon. Friend for her question. Under the last Government, between 2019 and 2023, drone sightings around prisons increased by over 770%. As I have said, we are investing…08 Jul 2025HANSARDPrison SecurityI believe the Prisons Minister may well be attending the event that the right hon. Member mentioned. I will happily pick that up in my regular conversations with trade union…08 Jul 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsHonestly, the shadow Justice Secretary really ought to pay more attention to his day job—rather than to the job he is looking for, which the Conservative party might give him.…08 Jul 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsI do not have those figures directly to hand, but I am sure that if they are available, I can write to him with the details.08 Jul 2025HANSARDDeporting Foreign Offenders: Prison CapacityI had very positive discussions with partner countries across Europe when I visited Strasbourg, where I made a speech about how the European convention on human rights is a living…08 Jul 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogI will happily look at the details of the case that the hon. Lady raises. Some of that relates to charging and what the police and others are doing, but I will ensure that she…08 Jul 2025