Contributions
1,152 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCrown Court BacklogThe last Government left us with a record and rising backlog. Cases are taking years to be heard, and the number of victims dropping out at police stage has nearly doubled. We…28 Jan 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogThe hon. Gentleman makes a good point, and I share his concerns and those of his constituents—indeed, I see many such cases in my own constituency advice surgeries. We are working…28 Jan 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogThrough our landmark review of sentencing, this Government are ensuring that sentencing is fit for purpose. That will ultimately put us in a position where we can crack down on…28 Jan 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogI agree with the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee that the backlog is far too high. He will know that, no matter what we do in terms of system efficiency and capacity, that…28 Jan 2025HANSARDSouthport AttackThere will always be differing views among lawyers about what can and cannot be said. It is right that the Government took their own position and that we did nothing that could…28 Jan 2025HANSARDSentencing: Attendance of OffendersBy failing to attend their sentencing hearings, criminals add insult to injury and deny victims and their families a vital part of seeing justice done. Iusb will be legislating to…28 Jan 2025HANSARDSouthport AttackAs I said in my previous answer, it is clear that the fast pace of the online world has some significant challenges for our present arrangements around contempt laws. The…28 Jan 2025HANSARDSentencing: Attendance of OffendersI pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work she is doing on behalf of her constituents. I was pleased to be able to discuss these matters with her. She is absolutely right, and…28 Jan 2025HANSARDSentencing: Attendance of OffendersThe hon. Member is right. It is already expected that defendants will attend sentencing hearings, but we know that some take the opportunity not to face the families of their…28 Jan 2025HANSARDProlific OffendersThe Government have inherited a situation where 10% of offenders account for 50% of all offences. We have also inherited an epidemic of shoplifting, the kind of antisocial crime…28 Jan 2025HANSARDProlific OffendersThe right hon. Member raises an important point about an issue that blights communities across the country. I agree that we need a specific strategy for dealing with prolific…28 Jan 2025HANSARDCrown Court BacklogWhat an absolutely outrageous set of remarks! The right hon. Member completely forgets that, only six months ago, his Government were in charge. The Government of which he was…28 Jan 2025HANSARDSouthport AttackMy hon. Friend raises an important point. The Government would not say anything that would risk collapsing this trial. The media followed the law, and so did everyone in this…28 Jan 2025HANSARDCriminal Courts: Independent ReviewThis Government inherited a justice system in crisis with huge delays to hearings and victims left in limbo waiting to see justice done. We are committed to reducing the…12 Dec 2024HANSARDPrison Capacity StrategyIntegral to this Government’s plan for change is ensuring that we have the prison places we need to lock up dangerous criminals and keep the public safe. On 4 December, the…11 Dec 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsAnybody who breaches their licence conditions can be recalled immediately to prison. If somebody removes their tag, they can and will be recalled. We have not seen higher than…10 Dec 2024HANSARDPrison CapacityThe shadow Minister could at least have apologised to the country for being part of a Government and a party that ran out of prison places. It was the Tory party that ran the…10 Dec 2024HANSARDEarly Release SchemeThe hon. Gentleman is right to note that, under current legislation, it is possible to exclude only offences, rather than classes of offender. I am sure that his Bill will gain…10 Dec 2024HANSARDEarly Release SchemeSDS40—the standard determinate sentences early release scheme—was an emergency measure that we had to take to avert the complete collapse of the criminal justice system following…10 Dec 2024HANSARDEarly Release SchemeI gently say to the right hon. Gentleman that the past is relevant in so far as it sets the context for the crisis that we have inherited, which needs resolving. Given that we all…10 Dec 2024