The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many weapons of which type have been confiscated from visitors to prisons in each year since 2010.
Andrew Selous
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18874, when his Department plans to write to clarify the date captured in the other category; and if he will place a copy of that letter in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr Shailesh Vara
My Department takes the issue of security within courts extremely seriously. Working with our security suppliers, officials continue to analyse the data within the other category to ensure the data provided answers question 18874 and provides detail on “other weapons” as requested.
I will write a letter to honourable member soon and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many key lock incidents there have been in each month since May 2010; how many such incidents related to doors of gates left unlocked; and in which establishments those incidents took place.
Andrew Selous
The information requested can only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many hostage incidents in which a (a) prison officer and (b) prisoner was taken hostage have taken place in each prison establishment since January 2010.
Andrew Selous
Violence in prisons has increased in recent years. These figures demonstrate that the Prime Minister and the Justice Secretary are right and out prisons badly need reform.
We are already trialling the use of body worn cameras in prisons, training sniffer dogs to detect new psychoactive substances and have made it an offence to smuggle new psychoactive substances into prison. However, ultimately the only way to reduce violence in our prisons is to give governors and those who work in prisons the tools necessary to more effectively rehabilitate offenders.
Hostage incidents are rare occurrences. The table attached provides details of hostage incidents, broken down by establishment and victim type.
Note: These figures have been drawn from the NOMS Incident Reporting System. 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. Although the figures are shown to the last case the figures may not be accurate to that level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-29.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he made prior to his announcement in the Autumn Statement 2015 of the effect on VAT receipts of changes to personal injury law and procedure; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
It is too early to say what the impact will be since there is still work in progress. The Government will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course. The consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government has taken to ensure independent verification for the evidence on which it has proposed changes to personal injury law and procedure.
Dominic Raab
The government received and analysed data from numerous sources prior to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. It will consult on the detail of the new reforms in due course and the consultation will be accompanied by an impact assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from the UN High Commissioner on human rights and political prisoners in Bahrain and on the implications for UK policy on Bahrain of the human rights situation in that country.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We regularly discuss human rights concerns with the UN Office for the High Commissioner on Human Rights. On 3 March 2016, Baroness Anelay spoke to the High Commissioner in advance of the 31st session of the Human Rights Council.
The UK continues to encourage and support the Government of Bahrain in ensuring full implementation of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry recommendations, as well as those accepted in their UN Universal Periodic Review. We are offering UK assistance to help them achieve this and believe our approach is the most constructive way to achieve long-lasting and sustainable reform in Bahrain.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any Government ministers have requested that the sentences of (a) Ali al Nimr, (b) Dawood al Mahroon and (c) Abdullah al Zaher be commuted.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We are very concerned about the cases of Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdallah al-Zaher. We have raised these cases with the Saudi Arabian authorities, most recently on 12 March, at a very senior level. Our expectation remains that they will not be executed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Government has spent during Public Law Project v The Lord Chancellor [2015] EWCA Civ 1193, 25 November 2015.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The Government is disappointed with the decision of the Supreme Court in the judicial review of the civil legal aid residence test. We will now wait for the full written judgement to consider.
To date, the Ministry of Justice has spent £152,196.50 (excluding VAT) in legal fees in proceedings in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in Public Law Project v The Lord Chancellor.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish his Department’s post-implementation review of tribunal fees.
Dominic Raab
Following public consultation, the government introduced fees in Employment Tribunals as a way of reducing the burden on the taxpayer and to encourage parties to seek alternative ways of resolving their disputes.
On 11 June 2015, we announced the start of the post-implementation review of the introduction of fees in the Employment Tribunals. The review will report in due course.