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  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2016 to Question 20908, on prisons: discipline, for what reasons the listed additional days were added.

    Andrew Selous

    The table attached shows the numbers of awards of additional days in each prison establishment as a result of adjudications in each year since 2010, setting out the numbers in the main categories of breach of prison discipline.

    Violence in prison has increased in recent years. The nature of offenders currently in custody and the widespread availability of new psychoactive substances have both contributed to making prisons less safe. There is no single, simple solution to improving safety in prisons but we are making progress.

    We are trialling the use of body worn cameras and training sniffer dogs to detect New Psychoactive Substances. We have made it an offence to smuggle New Psychoactive Substance into prison, but ultimately the only way to reduce violence in prisons is to give governors and those who work in prisons the tools necessary to more effectively reform and rehabilitate offenders.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 22204, what action he took in relation to Medway Secure Training Centre between 30 December 2015 and 6 January 2016.

    Andrew Selous

    The Youth Justice Board (YJB) is responsible for the commissioning of the youth estate. They have been keeping the Secretary of State’s office updated on the situation and actions they have regularly taken.

    The Youth Justice Board was informed of the allegations on 30 December. They suspended placements of new children and young people into the centre with immediate effect. They increased the presence of the YJB Monitor and the availability of the independent advocacy service provided to children and young people by Barnado’s at Medway. They sought immediate assurances from G4S that the staff named in the allegations had been suspended. The YJB suspended the certifications of all staff named in the allegations on 30 December.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 22404, when the Youth Justice Board ceased placements into Medway Secure Training Centre; and how many people were placed in that centre after 30 December 2015.

    Andrew Selous

    The Youth Justice Board suspended placements into Medway Secure Training Centre on 30 December 2015 as soon as it was made aware of the allegations. There have been no new placements since then.

  • 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 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) internal and (b) external investigations have been undertaken into self-harm, suicide and restraint in secure training centres in the last five years; which organisations undertook those investigations; and what the findings of those investigations were.

    Andrew Selous

    This information on investigations is not held centrally.

  • Jake Berry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jake Berry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20478, how many applications by grandparents for rights of access to their grandchildren were made in the final quarter of 2015.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The number of applications by grandparents for rights of access to their grandchildren made in the final quarter of 2015 will be available in due course.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will ensure that family court judges receive training on the new offence of coercive and controlling behaviour created by the Serious Crime Act 2015.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, responsibility for judicial training rests with the Lord Chief Justice and this is exercised through the Judicial College. Accordingly, the independence of the judiciary means that Government Ministers do not intervene with regard to the content of judicial training.

    The Judicial College has advised me that the new offence will be incorporated into existing training programmes for the family jurisdiction, particularly the modules that include domestic abuse.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that Practice Direction 12J: Child Arrangement and Contact Orders: Domestic Violence and Harm is properly implemented in each case involving domestic abuse seen in the family courts.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The family courts take the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. The Child Arrangement Programme and Practice Direction 12J set out a strong and clear framework for use where domestic violence is alleged. All judges receive specific training on this framework. The judge, on the basis of the evidence, will determine how the framework will be applied in a particular case and in particular, must be satisfied that any contact ordered with a parent who has perpetrated violence or abuse is safe and in the best interests of the child.

  • Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the proposed increase in the small claims limit for personal injury on access to justice.

    Dominic Raab

    The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course, including any necessary safeguards. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support for resettlement is given to sex offenders.

    Andrew Selous

    The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) provides a range of activities and services to those convicted of sexual offences; these are designed to help offenders reduce their risk of harm and reoffending, as well as to promote their resettlement on release from any term of imprisonment. They include accredited sex offenders treatment programmes, delivered in custody and the community. The Active Risk Management System has been developed with the Police to manage sexual offenders’ risk more effectively. More generally, sexual offenders are also given support while transitioning back into society, with the aim of reducing reoffending.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what arrangements his Department has in place to monitor the performance of MTCNovo’s delivery of the custodial service at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre.

    Andrew Selous

    The contract with MTCnovo at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre (STC) will begin on 5th May 2016. During the transition of the new contract, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) will work alongside MTCnovo and the current contract holder at Rainsbrook STC to facilitate a safe and successful transition to the new contract.

    The YJB has responsibility for commissioning and overseeing the youth secure estate through monitoring and reporting performance at each STC site against the contract and STC rules. The YJB has a full time on-site Monitor at Rainsbrook STC supported by a part time assistant and YJB managers, to ensure that MTCnovo’s service delivery is in accordance with the contract and the STC rules, which set out how STCs should be managed and run. The YJB conduct regular walk-rounds to monitor compliance, analyse data returns, review reports – including incidents of use of force – and review contractor’s declaration of performance awards.