Tag: Ministry of Justice

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 10 December 2025.

A joint statement delivered to today’s meeting of the Justice Ministers of the Council of Europe (Wednesday 10 December), signed by 27 countries including the UK.

The following States: Denmark, Italy, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom aligned to this Statement reaffirm their strong belief in the Council of Europe and in European values, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. We are committed to international law and to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (hereinafter “the Convention”) as a cornerstone of this international order, and we reaffirm our commitment to the Convention and our support for the work and independence of the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Court”) and its jurisdiction as defined in the Convention.Recalling the Reykjavik Declaration, we reaffirm our commitment to the concept of “democratic security”.

Our governments have a duty to guarantee our populations’ human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to live in peace, freedom and security, to preserve the values of our societies, and to effectively protect borders, prevent unlawful border crossings and counter migrant smuggling networks. Yet, the rights and freedoms of our populations are challenged by: people who take advantage of our hospitality by committing serious crime; trafficking in human beings and instrumentalisation of migrants.

These complex and disruptive challenges – that our societies face and which test the capacity of our current framework – were either unforeseen at the time the convention system and the Convention were drafted or have evolved significantly since then. When addressing these challenges in full compliance with international law, States have a fundamental duty to safeguard national security, protect our democracies, and ensure the security of individuals within our jurisdictions. Failing to recognise and respond to these challenges, we risk undermining the very fundamental rights and freedoms that the Convention protects, thereby eroding confidence in the whole Convention system.

Noting the letter signed on 22 May 2025 by a group of Heads of State and Government, which initiated this process that has since evolved through broad and inclusive engagement, we are therefore promoting an open and constructive discussion within the Council of Europe and with its Secretary-General to develop an adequate response to protect the Convention system from attempts to distort and weaken it. We appreciate and welcome the Secretary General’s openness and contribution in facilitating this important dialogue, while fully respecting the Convention system and the integrity of the Court.

In addressing under the Convention, the challenges in expulsion of foreign criminals, migration management and cooperation with third countries regarding asylum and return procedures, as well as removal procedures and instrumentalisation of migration, a right balance has to be found between the migrants’ individual rights and interests and the weighty public interests of defending freedom and security in our societies.

In this context, States aligned to this statement consider it imperative to ensure that the Convention framework is fit to address today’s challenges, most notably in order to meet the following challenges:

• Expulsion of foreigners convicted of serious crimes: The clear starting point is that a State Party can expel foreigners convicted of serious crimes even though they have acquired ties to their host Country, e.g. if they have established a family life there. In line with the principles in this statement, it is vital that the balance between individual rights and legitimate aims as per Article 8 of the Convention is adjusted so that more weight is put on the nature and seriousness of the offence committed and less weight is put on the foreign criminal’s social, cultural, and family ties with the host Country and with the Country of destination. The purpose of such a rebalancing is to ensure that we no longer see instances where foreigners convicted of serious crime, including serious violent crime, sexual assault, organised crime and human and drug trafficking, cannot be expelled.
• Clarity about inhuman and degrading treatment: The scope of “inhuman and degrading treatment” under Article 3, which is an absolute right, should be constrained to the most serious issues in a manner which does not prevent State Parties from taking proportionate decisions on the expulsion of foreign criminals, or in removal or extradition cases, including in cases raising issues concerning healthcare and prison conditions.
• Innovative and durable solutions to address migration: A State Party should not be prevented from entering into cooperation with third countries regarding asylum and return procedures, once the human rights of irregular migrants are preserved.
• Decision-making in migration cases: A State Party should not be prevented from applying clear rules and processes to facilitate timely decisions under Article 8 that can then be enforced, and which reflect the appropriate balance between the individual’s rights and the public interest.
• Instrumentalisation of migration: Recognising the extremely sensitive geopolitical context and the need to properly ensure national security and public safety, including in cases where human rights and fundamental freedoms are subject to abuse and instrumental use by hostile regimes and individual applicants with ulterior motives, with an adverse effect on the Convention system.

In addressing these challenges, the States aligned to this Statement refer to the importance of the following key principles in the interpretation and application of the Convention:

• The States’ right, as a matter of well-established international law and subject to their Treaty obligations, to control the entry, residence, and expulsion of foreigners from their territories, which should guide the interpretation of the Convention;
• The principle of subsidiarity, by which the primary responsibility for ensuring the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Convention and its Protocols lies with the States Parties to the Convention, which enjoy a margin of appreciation in doing so;
• The principle of shared responsibility by which it is primarily for the State Parties themselves, through their national courts and within the margin of appreciation defined by the Court, to ensure compliance with the guarantees of the Convention and to prevent the Court from becoming a fourth instance;
• The principle of proportionality, by balancing the protection of rights with safeguarding national security and protecting public safety and order, ascribing adequate weight to these values;
• The de minimis principle, which must be given uniform effect;
• The “living instrument” doctrine taking appropriate account of the developments, both factual and legal, that have evolved significantly in recent decades and were unforeseen at the time the Convention was drafted;
• The concept of “democracy capable of defending itself” preventing abuse of fundamental rights and freedoms by hostile regimes or individual applicants with ulterior motives.

The States aligned to this Statement welcome the 4-point proposal by the Council of Europe’s Secretary-General including to adopt a declaration on migration and the Convention at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting on 15th May 2026 in Chișinău (Moldova) and remain ready to work constructively with the Council of Europe, and in the case of EU Member States, whilst paying due consideration to the implications in relation to EU initiatives and applicable EU law.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 9 December 2025.

The Secretary of State has approved the appointment of Her Honour Anne Molyneux MBE as the Vice Chair of the Parole Board.

The Secretary of State for Justice has approved the appointment of Her Honour Anne Molyneux MBE as a judicial member of the Parole Board for a 5-year term from 6 December 2025. In addition, the Chair of the Parole Board, Alexandra Marks CBE, has designated Her Honour Anne Molyneux MBE as the Board’s Vice Chair.

The Vice Chair will be expected to share in the leadership and governance of the Parole Board.

The Parole Board is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). It works with its criminal justice partners to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can be safely released into the community. It was established by the Criminal Justice Act 1967.

Appointments and re-appointments to the Parole Board (with the exception of Judicial members) are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Biography

Her Honour Anne Molyneux MBE was a Circuit Judge from 2007 to 2017; a Senior Circuit Judge, Central Criminal Court, from 2017 to 2022; and a Deputy High Court Judge, from 2013 until 2022. She also sat as an Additional Judge in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division. She was admitted as a solicitor in 1983 and was a Recorder from 2000 until 2007. In 2024 she was appointed as a trustee and member of the Board of the Access to Justice Foundation as the nominee of the Lady Chief Justice. She was an Independent member for the Parole Board (2003 – 2007) and later a Judicial member (2010 – 2019).

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 9 December 2025.

The Secretary of State for Justice has announced the appointment of Mark Hamilton as member of the Prison Service Pay Review Body.

Mark Hamilton’s appointment will be for a tenure of 5 years from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2030.

The PSPRB provides the government with independent advice on the remuneration of operational prison staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as set out in The Prison Service (Pay Review Body) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001 No. 1161).   

Appointments to the PSPRB are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. This appointment has been made in line with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.

Public appointments to the PSPRB are made by the Prime Minister.

Mark Hamilton Biography:

Mark Hamilton’s career in policing began in 1994 with the Royal

Ulster Constabulary. He became the Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in January 2020.

Mark’s tenure included significant responsibilities such as overseeing operational policing, professional standards and leading police reform in Northern Ireland. He was recognised with the title of Office of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the 2019 Birthday Honours.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 1 December 2025.

Criminal legal aid solicitors will receive up to £92 million more a year to help address the ongoing challenges in the criminal justice system.

• Government confirms up to £92 million investment in criminal legal aid after years of neglect
• New funding for housing and immigration fees to help rebuild the justice system
• Part of government’s Plan for Change to transform the justice system and deliver swifter justice for victims

Victims will get swifter access to justice as the Government confirms up to an additional £92m per year boost for criminal legal aid solicitors, Courts Minister Sarah Sackman announced today (Monday 1 December).

The investment will tackle years of neglect and build a stronger and more sustainable legal aid sector that works for those who serve within it – and those victims and defendants who depend on it.

This investment lays the groundwork for longer-term reform to the justice system to get cases moving through the courts and ensure swifter justice for victims – with further updates expected later this week.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:    

Our legal aid system has been left neglected. This multimillion-pound investment is crucial to keeping the wheels of justice turning – it supports the professionals keeping the system running, the victims waiting for answers, and all those who need access justice.

We know that justice delayed is justice denied. That is why we’re investing in the criminal justice system. Getting the legal aid sector back on a sustainable footing is vital to restoring the public’s confidence in our justice system

Once fully implemented, criminal legal aid solicitors will have received a 24% overall uplift in funding since the 2021 Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review (CLAIR).

Criminal solicitors have been waiting years for a pay rise and now they will finally feel the fee increases which will support their vital work to keep the wheels of our criminal justice system turning.

Alongside this, the Government is also uplifting housing and immigration legal aid fees by 18 million a year – the first major civil legal aid fee increase since 1996.

An additional two million for licensed housing and immigration work will be delivered separately and as soon as possible. An injection of £20 million will support some of the most vulnerable people in society, including those at risk of losing their home and victims of modern slavery. The investment will also help to reduce the asylum backlog and end the use of asylum hotels.

The majority of these crime and civil changes will come into effect on 22 December 2025 – ensuring hardworking practitioners are properly paid for the vital work they do.

Legal aid plays a crucial role in our justice system, supporting some of the most complex cases that go through our courts. Our Plan for Change is making the justice system fair, accessible and fit for purpose.

This funding supports our wider reform of the criminal justice system. The government will soon publish its response to Part 1 of Sir Brian Leveson’s independent review, which recommends bold and ambitious reforms to clear the escalating court backlog and deliver swifter justice for victims.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 November 2025.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointments of 46 Parole Board members, as set out below, and the appointment of 2 psychologist members.

Parole Board members are appointed, by ministers, under Schedule 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. The appointment of Parole Board members – save for judicial members – is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments (CPA). Recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The Parole Board is an independent body that works with its criminal justice partners to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can be safely released into the community.

The Parole Board was established by the Criminal Justice Act 1967. It is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.

Appointment of psychologist members

The following members have been appointed for a 5-year term from 4 November 2025 until 3 November 2030:

• Laura Magness
• Kirsty Butcher

Reappointment of existing members

The reappointments of 46 Parole Board members have been approved. Details of those reappointed and the duration of each reappointment are provided below.

Psychologist members

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 6 years from 1 December 2025 until 30 November 2031:

• Rebecca Milner

The following members have been reappointed for a further term of 5 years from 1 February 2026 until 31 January 2031:

• Dee Anand
• Caroline Flowers
• Sian Hughes
• Alexander Jack
• Laura Jacobs
• Sally Lopresti
• Frances Maclennan
• Louise Minchin
• Samantha Salamat
• Carolyn Scott

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 5 years from 1 May 2026 until 30 April 2031:

• Sarah Jones

The following members have been reappointed for a further term of 6 years from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2032:

• Fiona Ainsworth
• Pamela Attwell
• Rachel Roper
• Georgina Rowse
• Claire Smith

The following members have been reappointed for a further term of 1 year from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027:

• Claire Barker
• Lindy Maslin

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 5 years from 1 December 2026 until 30 November 2031:

• Brendan O’Mahony

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 6 years from 10 January 2027 until 9 January 2033:

• Victoria Magrath

Psychiatrist members

The following members have been reappointed for a further term of 5 years from 1 February 2026 until 31 January 2031:

• Bethan Davies
• Kim Fraser
• Sobhi Girgis
• Santhana Gunasekaran
• Duncan Harding
• Gaynor Jones
• Olumuyiwa Olumoroti
• Lavanya Sebastian
• Alan Smith

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 1 year from 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2027:

• Tim McInerny

Independent members

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 5 years from 1 February 2026 until 31 January 2031:

• Julie Mitchell

The following member has been reappointed for a further term of 1 year from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2027:

• Angharad Davies

The following members have been reappointed for a further term of 6 years from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2032:

• Sarfraz Ahmad
• Sally Allbeury
• Rachel Cook
• Amy Coyte
• Stefan Fafinski
• Paul French
• Chris Fry
• Lisa Lamb
• Timothy Lawrence
• Fran McGrath
• Helen Potts
• Jayne Salt
• Julia Thackray

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 November 2025.

The Lord Chancellor, in his capacity as Secretary of State for Justice, has approved the appointments of Dr Maike Bohn and Lynne Charles as non-executive members of the Independent Monitoring Authority.

The Lord Chancellor, in his capacity as Secretary of State for Justice, has approved the appointments of Dr Maike Bohn and Lynne Charles as non-executive members of the Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA) for 3 years from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.

Dr Maike Bohn

Dr Maike Bohn brings significant experience in strategic leadership, international engagement and public policy. As Managing Director of Oxford in Berlin, she led the University of Oxford’s work in Germany and built wide-ranging partnerships across sectors. She is a co-founder of the3million and has held senior roles in executive education, public affairs and marketing at Cardiff University, Jisc and Saïd Business School.

Lynne Charles

Lynne Charles is a former civil servant, with over 20 years’ experience across a number of government departments, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, with a particular focus on EU and international affairs. Most recently, she served as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Bulgaria. Prior to working for the British government, Lynne worked as an official of the European Parliament, with roles in Brussels and London.

The IMA was established under the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020. Its purposes are to monitor how public bodies implement and apply the citizens’ rights parts of the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, and Separation Agreement with the EEA EFTA states, and to promote the adequate and effective implementation and application of those rights.

The IMA has the power to receive complaints, launch inquiries and initiate or intervene in legal proceedings. The IMA also has a duty to review the effectiveness of the legislative framework relating to citizens’ rights. In exercising its functions, the IMA must have regard to the importance of dealing with general or systemic issues in the implementation and application of citizen’ rights. 

Appointments to the IMA are made by the Secretary of State and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. These appointments have been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 16 November 2025.

Britain’s biggest businesses have joined the Government’s hiring drive to get prison leavers into work in effort to cut crime as part of the Plan for Change.

• Over 300 businesses join efforts to plug labour shortfalls and grow the economy
• New job matchmaking tool to be rolled out across prisons in England and Wales
• Employment to help ex-offenders turn backs on crime and reduce reoffending

Over 300 top British businesses have signed up to the Government’s recruitment initiative in the last 12 months, joining household names like Greggs, Iceland and Kier in helping fill some of the estimated one million vacancies in the UK job market. 

The Prison Service has also unveiled bold new plans to deploy a digital job-matching tool that will connect prisoners with employment opportunities and support them through the application process, as part of a wider tech drive to link potential employers with untapped talent behind bars. 

In the last 12 months, the proportion of prison leavers serving sentences of 12 months or more who were employed within six months of release has more than doubled, rising to an all-time high of 38 per cent, compared with 15 per cent in 2021.

This announcement was made by the Prisons and Probation Minister at the Ministry of Justice’s annual employment advisory conference (Thursday 13 November), where business leaders from across the country met to explore how they can support prison leavers into work.

Minister for Probation, Prisons and Reducing Reoffending, Lord James Timpson, said:  

I know firsthand the value of employing ex-offenders. It slashes reoffending, prevents crime before it happens, and helps grow the economy by filling vital gaps in the UK job market. 

That’s why we’re investing in rehabilitation and supporting prisoners into jobs to give them a real chance to turn their lives around, as part of our Plan for Change.

Data shows that prison leavers in full-time employment are roughly 10 percentage points less likely to re-offend when released from custody, which means less crime, and fewer future victims. More than 90 per cent of surveyed businesses who employ prison leavers report they are motivated, have good attendance and are trustworthy.

In a further move to cut crime, well known coffee shop firm Gourmet Coffee has become the latest high street name to hire ex-offenders and offer recruits tailored training to help them stay on the straight and narrow.  

Liz Garnell, Co-owner of Gourmet Coffee:

For me, everyone deserves a second chance. It’s not just to rebuild their lives, but for them to contribute their skills, of which we have tapped into with great success at HMP Styal.

Earlier this year the Government launched Employment Councils which bring together probation, prisons, local employers and DWP under one umbrella for the first time. The new bodies will broaden employment support for offenders in the community. 

This initiative supports the government’s broader mission to fix the foundations of the justice system by cutting crime, reducing reoffending and helping people rebuild their lives through the power of work.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 13 November 2025.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Gerard Boyers, Brett Dixon and Sarah Stephens as expert members of the Online Procedure Rule Committee.

Sarah Stephens

Sarah Stephens is the OPRC lay advice member who is a non-practising solicitor and a legal technologist specialising in access to justice. She spent over a decade as a commercial lawyer with Linklaters and Kennedys, before transitioning to KPMG East Africa where she led their international development portfolio overseeing justice, education, and economic growth programs.

For the past 10 years, she has worked as an independent consultant on projects promoting access to justice, gender equality, and technology for development, working with UN agencies, the World Bank, and various NGOs.

Brett Dixon

Brett Dixon is the OPRC legal member. He is a Deputy Vice President of the Law Society and a Senior Fellow of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. Admitted as a solicitor in 1999, he holds higher rights of audience in civil matters and is also an accredited mediator.

Gerard Boyers

Gerard Boyers is the OPRC technology member and a Director at Deloitte where he leads Digital Transformation Strategy. He brings extensive experience in delivering digital products, having served as the Head of Digital at HSBC and Aviva as well the Government Digital Service and BBC iPlayer

The Online Procedure Rule Committee (OPRC) was established under Section 22 of the Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022. The aim of the OPRC is to improve access to justice for all by harnessing the power of modern digital technology in the pre-action space, in the civil and family courts and in the tribunals.

These reappointments are made by the Lord Chancellor after consultation with the Lady Chief Justice, the Senior President of Tribunals and, in the case of the legal member, the Law Society.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 12 November 2025.

Minister for Youth Justice Jake Richards has apologised to the victims and survivors subjected to shocking and systematic abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre.

• Government vows systemic abuse at Medomsley must never happen again
• New safeguarding panel to improve protections for children in custody
• Part of wider Government reforms to bolster child safeguarding as part of Plan for Change

Speaking on behalf of the government, Minister Richards described the abuse as “a monstrous perversion of justice” and paid tribute to the courage of survivors and the tireless campaigning of MPs and families who have fought for justice over many years.   

The apology follows a Prison and Probation Ombudsman report into the physical, sexual and psychological abuse many children suffered at Medomsley in the North East of England from the early 1960s until its closure in the late 1980s.  

In a written statement to Parliament responding to the report, the Government has today also announced new measures to ensure such horrors are never allowed to happen again.  

A new Youth Custody Safeguarding Panel, led by an expert in child safeguarding, will review how children are protected in custody. The panel will examine areas such as complaints processes, staff training and ensure children’s voices are heard.  

Minister for Youth Justice, Jake Richards said:  

To the men who suffered such horrific abuse at Medomsley, I want to say again – I am truly sorry. The failings set out in today’s report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman are truly harrowing, and we must ensure nothing like this ever happens again. 

This Government is establishing a Youth Custody Safeguarding Panel to review how we protect children in custody today. It will ensure their voices are heard, that complaints are taken seriously, and that every child is kept safe from harm.

The youth custodial estate today bears little resemblance to the one which the abuse at Medomsley took place, with children no longer detained for less serious offences and the number of children in custody has fallen significantly in the last 20 years. 

However, the government is determined that those who do require custody receive the best care and support they need to turn their lives around.

The Youth Custody Safeguarding Panel will report directly to Ministers and will look closely at how professionals work with young people in custody. This includes how children can speak up if something is wrong and how safety measures are working.  

In 2019, the Ministry of Justice established a settlement scheme for victims and survivors of physical and sexual abuse at Medomsley. To date, this has paid out over £10m to over 2,700 individuals and anyone who suffered abuse at Medomsley is still able to make a claim. 

The Government has also reaffirmed its commitment to wider child safeguarding reforms, including: 

• A new statutory duty to report child sexual abuse for professionals working with children. 
• Stronger obligations on public bodies to provide evidence with candour during investigations. 
• Enhanced legal rights for victims through the Victims and Courts Bill, currently progressing through Parliament. 

Background

• The Prison and Probation Ombudsman report on Medomsley Detention Centre was published today, the full report can be found here PPO publish investigation report into abuse of young men at Medomsley Detention Centre – Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
• Should you wish to access support, the following support services are available: 
• NSPCC – 0808 800 5000 (freephone 24 hour)
• Samaritans – freephone 24/7 – 116123
• Victim support – 0808 1689111
• Rape crisis helpline – 0808 5002222
• National Association for People Abused in Childhood – 0808 801 0331

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 October 2025.

His Majesty The King, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, has approved the reappointment of the Hon Mr Justice Adam Johnson as a Senior Judicial Commissioner of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

JAC is an independent body that selects candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for some tribunals with a UK-wide jurisdiction.

JAC Commissioners are appointed, under Schedule 12(1) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, by His Majesty The King on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor.

The reappointment of the Hon Mr Justice Adam Johnson was made in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Judicial Appointment Commission Regulations 2013.

Biography

The Honourable Mr Justice Adam Johnson, who has been a High Court judge – assigned to the Chancery Division – since 2020, was admitted as a solicitor in 1990 and took Silk in 2017. He was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2018.