Tag: Ministry of Justice

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.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 27 October 2025.

Dame Lynne Owens will lead the independent investigation to determine how Hadush Kebatu was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford on Friday 24 October, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has announced today.

• Dame Lynne Owens will chair independent investigation to get answers public deserve
• Mandatory new, stronger checks also brought in from today for releases to keep our streets safe
• Deputy Prime Minister pledges immediate action to prevent another mistaken release

The investigation will establish the full facts of the incident, which shocked the public, and look at the serious issue of releases in error across the prison estate. The Deputy Prime Minister has asked for Dame Lynne Owens to report back within eight weeks.    

Speaking in the House of Commons today, David Lammy set out how the investigation will get to the bottom of what happened and stop similar unacceptable mistakes in future.   

It will ask what went wrong, consider whether appropriate protocols were followed, assess whether staff had sufficient experience, training and resources, and make recommendations to reduce further releases in error.  

The Deputy Prime Minister has also confirmed immediate measures to strengthen release checks across all prisons – making them the strongest release checks to ever be in place. From today, the Duty Governor must be physically present for the release of any foreign criminal who is being removed from prison early to be immediately deported and there will be a clear checklist with governors required to confirm every step has been followed before any release takes place.  

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said:  

I am livid on behalf of the victims and the public that this mistake was allowed to happen.   

Any release in error is one too many. That is why I have taken immediate action to introduce the strongest release checks ever and launched an independent investigation to get to the bottom of what went wrong and to tackle the rise in accidental releases which began rising under the previous government. 

We’re ending the prison crisis we inherited – investing billions, reforming sentencing and building the prison places needed to keep the public safe. This Government will not rest until our jails deliver the safety and security the British people deserve.

Dame Lynne Owens is a former Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and former Director General of the National Crime Agency, bringing her extensive expertise to the investigation.   

Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, was set to be transferred to an Immigration Removal Centre and deported back to Ethiopia. Instead, he was mistakenly released into the community. 

Following an intensive manhunt involving the Metropolitan, Essex, and British Transport Police, he was arrested and returned to custody on Sunday 26 October. He will now be deported to Ethiopia as quickly as possible.  

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government, with jails dangerously full and close to collapse.   

The Government is taking decisive action to address this crisis, building 14,000 additional prison places and reforming sentencing to make sure we have enough prison places to lock up dangerous criminals and keep the public safe.   

The Government has already delivered 2,500 new places in just over a year, as part of the biggest prison expansion programme since the Victorian era.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 27 October 2025.

From next month, survivors of violence and domestic abuse will no longer have to pay over £300 to ensure their abuser cannot track them down via public records.

• Person at Risk of Violence (PARV) Order fees will be scrapped, saving victims hundreds of pounds
• Changes will remove costs as a barrier to safety and protect survivors facing debt and financial hardship 
• Move part of Government’s Plan for Change to stand up for victims and halve violence against women and girls

Ministers have today confirmed plans to scrap the Person at Risk of Violence Order fee. The move means from November, vulnerable people involved in debt proceedings will no longer have to pay £318 to have their personal details – including name and address – removed from the Insolvency Register and the official public record, the Gazette.

For women fleeing domestic abuse, having the peace of mind that their abuser can’t search public records to find their new address is invaluable – yet the steep cost is a barrier to many. Today’s announcement will mean this cost will no longer be an obstacle to their safety.

The abolition of this unnecessary fee is the latest measure in the Government’s mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade – and a key part of the Plan for Change to protect victims and restore faith in the justice system.

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

Women who experience domestic abuse can spend their lives on the run. They deserve protection. The publication of victims’ personal details on the Insolvency Register must not be another tool perpetrators can use to torment their victims.

This simple change can be the difference between a life of peace and one of fear. I hope that abolishing this fee gives some degree of relief to the people who need it.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are determined to protect more victims from abuse and halve Violence Against Women and Girls in the next decade.

The move builds on the actions the government has already taken to meet its commitment to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade.

These include a National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection; Raneem’s Law which embeds domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms in the first five police forces to improve the police response to domestic abuse; and the rollout of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders – the strongest order of its kind yet to protect victims from perpetrators.

Sam Smethers, CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse said:

We welcome the government’s decision to abolish the fee for Persons at Risk of Violence Orders when applying for insolvency solutions.

Until now, survivors have been forced to pay extra just to stay safe and avoid having their names and addresses published on a public insolvency database. This blocked many from accessing vital insolvency options because the perpetrator’s economic abuse left them unable to afford the fee. Removing this cost is an important step towards ensuring survivors can seek protection without taking on yet more financial burden when trying to resolve coerced debts. 

We commend Money Wellness for their work in securing this vital change but it does not stop here. SEA will continue to advocate for systemic changes that tackle economic abuse at the root and ensure victim-survivors are better protected.

Adam Rolfe, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Money Wellness, said:

We are delighted the government has listened to our campaign and taken this important step to protect survivors of abuse. Scrapping the PARV order fee removes a huge financial barrier for people already facing unimaginable hardship. It means survivors can focus on rebuilding their finances and moving forward without the fear that seeking debt help could put them at risk.

We now hope to build on this progress to make sure the entire insolvency system truly supports people to recover from an abusive relationship safely and with dignity.

ENDS

Further information

• When someone applies for an insolvency debt solution, such as bankruptcy, a debt relief order, or an individual voluntary arrangement, their name and address are published on the Insolvency Register as a statutory requirement.
• A PARV Order is the only legal route to prevent personal details from being published.
• Individuals must demonstrate that disclosure of their address would reasonably expect to lead to violence. Currently, to apply for a PARV Order, individuals must complete an application form which is accompanied by a witness statement, attend court, and paying the applicable court fee.
• They do not have to prove that they have experienced violence, only that they reasonably believe they may.
• On its mission to halve VAWG in a decade, the government has also actioned:

o   Nearly £20 million in funding for specialist VAWG services which support victims of abuse including a range of vital helplines.

o   A new criminal offence for spiking and new spiking training for thousands of pub, club and bar staff to ensure they have the skills to support victims and prevent incidents.

o   New measures to tackle stalking, including giving police guidance on a victim’s right to know the identity of online stalkers for the first time and widening the use of Stalking Protection Orders.

o   The roll out of The Drive Project across England and Wales which, backed by £53 million, will target high-harm, high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators – taking the responsibility for the abuse away from the victim and putting it firmly on the perpetrator where it belongs.

o   Criminalising pornography that depicts acts of strangulation through the Crime and Policing Bill.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 20 October 2025.

Thousands more children will be protected from vile sex offenders under amendments to the Victims and Courts Bill tabled in Parliament today (Monday 20 October).

• Parental responsibility to be automatically restricted where a child is born of rape
• Reforms to also apply to parents convicted of serious sexual offences against any child – not just their own
• Amendments to the Victims and Courts Bill part of Government’s Plan for Change to protect children and restore faith in justice system

Thousands more children will be protected from vile sex offenders under amendments to the Victims and Courts Bill tabled in Parliament today (Monday 20 October).

The new measures will see parental responsibility automatically restricted in cases of children born of rape, and when a parent is convicted of serious sex offences against any child. This means a parent can no longer take active steps in their child’s life, including making decisions over their schooling, medical care or trips abroad.

The move delivers on the long-term campaign of Natalie Fleet MP, Baroness Harman and Jess Asato MP and will provide greater protection for vulnerable children.  

Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, said: 

These reforms mark a crucial step forward in restoring faith in our justice system. Automatically restricting parental responsibility in cases of rape where it has led to the birth of a child and serious child sexual offences sends a clear message: the rights and safety of children come first.  

This Government is committed to standing up for victims and ensuring that those who commit the most vile crimes against children are never in a position to cause further harm.

Natalie Fleet MP said:

This amendment will finally offer protection for not only children born of rape, but also the mothers, who have until now always lived in fear of their rapists interfering in the lives of their children through their parental responsibility rights. This change will end that fear.

It puts the rights of survivors above the rights of rapists and signals a landmark shift in how this country’s legal system values safety, dignity, and truth. It will deliver powerful, lasting change for thousands of women and children and I am delighted that this Government has listened to our concerns and acted so swiftly.

To ensure swift protection for families, restriction will happen immediately following sentencing, removing the necessity to apply through the family court. 

Restricting parental responsibility for children born of rape protects two victims – the mother and the child – from the influence of abusive and undeserving fathers, whereas removing the right for those convicted of serious sex offences against any child builds on the existing measure to restrict responsibility for those who have abused their own child.

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Minister Davies-Jones, said: 

These reforms will shield both mothers and children from the heinous actions of predatory parents as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade under our Plan for Change.  

I’m proud to support these amendments, which build on the tireless campaigning of Natalie Fleet MP, Baroness Harman, and Jess Asato MP who have been unwavering in their advocacy for the protection of children and women.” 

This move follows the expansion of the government’s innovative Pathfinder pilot, which aims to improve the court experience and outcomes for children and parents involved in private family law proceedings – including those who have experience of domestic abuse. 

ENDS 

Further information 

• At the introduction of the Bill Clause 3 required the Crown Court to make a prohibited steps order restricting the exercise of an offender’s parental responsibility where they have committed a serious child sexual abuse offence (this includes crimes such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault) against a child for whom they hold parental responsibility and have been sentenced to four our more years in prison. The restriction will apply in respect of any child for whom the offender holds it. 
• Where it appears to the Crown Court that an automatic restriction would not be in the interests of justice they must not make an order.
• The Government’s amendment to Clause 3 will mean that the provision will now apply to offences committed against any child, not only a child for whom the perpetrator holds parental responsibility. The wider drafting of the provision will remain the same.
• The Government will also table a separate amendment to provide for the restriction of a perpetrator’s parental responsibility where they have been convicted and sentenced for a rape that resulted in the birth of a child. In these instances the restriction would only apply to the specific child that has been born.
• This amendment will require the Crown Court to make a prohibited steps order, at the point of sentencing for rape where the court is satisfied that a child for whom the offender holds parental responsibility was conceived as a result of that rape, unless it appears to the court that it would not be in the ‘interests of justice’ to do so.
• Where it has not been established in criminal proceedings that the child was conceived by rape, the Crown Court must refer the case to the relevant local authority when:
  • An offender is convicted of rape
  • The court considers that the child may have resulted from the rape The offender has parental responsibility for that child.
• If the Crown Court is satisfied that the child may have been conceived from rape then they must refer the case to the local authority within 30 days. In these circumstances the local authority will have 6 months in which to obtain the consent of the mother for them to initiate family court proceedings. The local authority will have 30 days from receipt of consent to apply to the family court who will then consider whether any orders (including prohibited steps orders) should be made in the best interests of the child.