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  • Ian Lavery – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Ian Lavery – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civilian enforcement officers were employed by HM Courts and Tribunal Service in each year since 2010; and if she will make a statement.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    The number of civilian enforcement officers that were employed by HM Courts and Tribunals Service since 2013 are:-

    Headcount

    FTE (Full time Equivalent)

    December 2013

    296

    287.49

    December 2014

    242

    231.18

    December 2015

    212

    202.59

    September 2016

    185

    173.72

    Data prior to 2013 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

    HMCTS takes recovery and enforcement of financial impositions very seriously and is working to ensure that clamping down on defaulters is a continued priority nationwide and remains committed to finding new ways to ensure impositions are paid and to trace those who do not pay. This is why there has been a year on year increase in the total amount of financial penalties collected over the last five years. The amount of money collected has risen from £310m at the end of 2014/115 to a record of £381 million at the end of 2015/16.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2016 to Question 44657, for what reasons the commencement of Section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 has not yet taken place.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    The Government remains committed to commencing section 67 of the Serious Crime Act 2015. We are continuing to consider its implementation carefully whilst also considering our other justice priorities.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether all European funding for schemes to improve the employability of prisoners has been protected for the duration of their funding period.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    As the Chancellor set out on 13 August, all structural and investment fund projects signed before the Autumn Statement will be fully funded, even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drones have been intercepted operating over prisons in England and Wales (a) in 2015 and (b) from January 2016 to date.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    There were 33 incidents relating to drones reported by prisons in 2015. This includes finds, interceptions and sightings of drones in and around prisons in England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice intends to routinely publish information on prison drone incidents in the future and 2016 data will be provided in due course as part of the publication schedule.

    We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate. We have already introduced new legislation to further strengthen our powers, making it illegal to land a drone in prison or to use a drone to drop in contraband. Anyone found using a drone in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years imprisonment. We take a zero tolerance approach to smuggling of contraband into prisons and work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to ensure those caught are prosecuted.

    Note: All figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Laurence Robertson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the opportunities to present evidence in child custody cases; and if she will make a statement.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The law requires the welfare of the child to be the court’s paramount concern when making any decision about a child’s upbringing, including with whom the child is to live or spend time.

    Any person who is a party to such proceedings will provide initial evidence and information to the court in their original application or in any response to an application. A party may make representations to the court about any further evidence they wish to put before the court. Rules of court indicate that it is for the court to determine how and when parties may submit evidence. The rules provide for different ways in which this can be done, including a party giving evidence in writing, orally or via video link facilities, where available.

    In child arrangements proceedings, the court may also ask the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) to provide independent analysis and recommendations.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to protect victims of domestic abuse in family law courts.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    This Government is committed to supporting vulnerable people at court, including victims of domestic abuse. The family courts take the issue of domestic abuse extremely seriously. There is a strong and clear framework for judges to apply to the management of difficult court room situations, to ensure they are handled sensitively for alleged victims of domestic abuse and other vulnerable witnesses. All judges receive specific training on this framework and they can intervene to prevent inappropriate questions or have questions relayed. Practical protections, for example, protective screens, video links, separate waiting rooms and separate entrances are available where appropriate. The Government is working with the judiciary to consider what additional protections may be necessary.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of staff on the payroll of her Department who work in Westminster are (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of another country.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    All Government Departments are bound by legal requirements concerning the right to work in the UK and, in addition, the Civil Service Nationality Rules. Evidence of nationality is checked at the point of recruitment into the Civil Service as part of wider pre-employment checks, but there is no requirement on departments to retain this information beyond the point at which it has served its purpose.

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, approximately how many (a) British and (b) non-British nationals are employed cleaning the Westminster estate of her Department.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    The Ministry of Justice does not employ cleaning staff. Cleaning of the Ministry of Justice’s estate is outsourced. The contract requires that all contracted staff have undergone the necessary pre-employment checks and have the right to work in the UK.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Hendrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43488, what the reason is for the discrepancy between the figure provided in that answer and data in recent research published by Women’s Aid on 13 September 2016 on the proportion of survivors of domestic abuse that had access to a separate waiting room in the family court.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    These two pieces of data are not comparable. Question 43488 refers to the Crown and Magistrates’ courts specifically, and family courts were not included. We are clear that security in the family courts is taken extremely seriously and we have robust arrangements in place to protect court users.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the one-year post-implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 has been completed; and if she will make the outcome of that review available to hon. Members.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    The Ministry of Justice is finalising the one year post implementation review of the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 and a decision will be made about publication in due course.

    It is considering the further reviews.