Tag: Ministry of Justice

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 19 June 2023.

The Rt Hon Alex Chalk MP KC, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, was in Paris today (19 June) where he held meetings with his counterpart Éric Dupond-Moretti, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals of France.

Following highly productive and wide-ranging conversations, the two Ministers issued a joint statement (below) emphasising their shared determination to ensure accountability for war crimes in Ukraine and to work together to strengthen justice cooperation and meet shared challenges.

Joint statement

We, the Justice Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Republic of France, met in Paris today 19 June 2023 to further strengthen the close relationship between our two countries in the field of justice. As neighbours with shared values and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law, our discussions today offered an opportunity to reflect upon a relationship that is both broad and deep, and consider areas of mutual interest and future cooperation. Today’s challenges to justice and rule of law are international in nature, and we are united as friends and allies in our efforts to address them.

In our wide-ranging and productive discussions we were pleased to cover a number of important issues that face both of our countries, and on which we are committed to working collaboratively.

• We are determined to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, and to work together and with our allies to ensure those responsible for committing alleged atrocities are held to account.
• We noted the vital role the International Criminal Court plays in global efforts to end impunity for war crimes and we are proud to support the court’s investigations across the world including in Ukraine. Maintaining joint support for the International Criminal Court is one of the primary mechanisms to achieve accountability for war crimes and crimes of the gravest concern to the international community, ensuring that justice is delivered for victims.
• We are determined to strengthen the positive relationship between our two countries in the field of civil and judicial cooperation, reflecting the close ties between our two countries and ensuring that our legal systems work for the businesses and citizens of both countries, in particular the most vulnerable ones, as they live, work and do business between France and the United Kingdom.
• We have committed to sharing valuable knowledge and best practice in various areas, in particular regarding the fight against radicalisation in prison and the development of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation.
• We re-commit to agreements made by our leaders at the UK-France Summit of 10 March: and we will continue to enhance our cooperation in order to fight organised crime, in particular human trafficking and facilitation of illegal migration.

We look forward to working together to ensure that rule of law prevails internationally, and our justice systems work together to meet shared challenges and meet the needs of the citizens of our two great countries.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 19 June 2023.

The Secretary of State for Justice has announced the appointment of Elisabeth Davies as National Chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards for 3 years from 1 July 2023.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the Rt Hon. Alex Chalk KC MP has announced the appointment of Elisabeth Davies as the National Chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) for an initial term of 3 years. Her appointment will commence on 1 July 2023 and run until 30 June 2026.

IMBs provide statutory, independent oversight, monitoring the treatment and care of prisoners and detainees. They operate in prisons, young offender institutions, immigration removal centres, some short-term holding facilities and on flights for those being removed from the UK.

This appointment is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Elisabeth Davies has extensive experience of working across both charitable and public sectors, where she has specialised in the areas of dispute resolution and consumer protection.

In April 2020, she was appointed Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC), which oversees the work of the Legal Ombudsman.

Elisabeth holds a number of professional roles across organisations. She is the Chair of the Assurance and Appointments Committee of the General Pharmaceutical Council and a member of the Civil Justice Council. Alongside this she has been the Chair of the Prisoners’ Education Trust since the end of 2018. She is also the former Deputy Chair of Support Through Court, which assists people going through the court process without legal representation.

Previously, Elisabeth was the Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Quality Committee at the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. She also served as a former Chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel, where she ensured regulators were able to consider and act on the user perspective.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 19 June 2023.

Rape victims will be given the opportunity to meet the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) staff involved in their case ahead of a trial in the latest move to guide them through the criminal justice system.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 14 June 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of The Most Rev Barry Morgan and Judge Greg Sinfield as Commissioners of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

His Majesty the King, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, has reappointed 2 Commissioners to the Judicial Appointments Commission.

Judge Sinfield has been reappointed for a second term of 3 years from 9 June 2023 to 8 June 2026.

The Most Rev Barry Morgan has been reappointed for a second term of 2 years from 6 July 2023 to 5 July 2025.

The Judicial Appointments Commission is an independent body that selects candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for some tribunals with UK-wide jurisdiction. Candidates are selected on merit, through fair and open competition

Judicial Appointment 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.

Commissioner appointments and re-appointments comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The selection of Senior Judicial Commissioners is governed by the Judicial Appointments Regulations 2013.

Judge Sinfield

Judge Greg Sinfield was appointed as a Senior Judicial Commissioner on 9 June 2020. He is President of the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber). Called to the Bar in 1981, Judge Sinfield worked in the Solicitor’s Office of HM Customs and Excise from 1983-87. He returned to private practice, in 1988, with what is now Hogan Lovells International. He was admitted as a solicitor, in 1989, and became a partner in the tax group of the firm in 1993.

The Most Rev Barry Morgan

The Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan is Archbishop Emeritus of Wales and is an academic. He was appointed as a Commissioner on 6 July 2020. As well as being Pro Chancellor of the University of Wales, Dr Morgan is: a Fellow of five Welsh Universities; a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and; a Knight of the Order of St. John. He has published a number of articles, in books and journals, as well as a book on the poetry of R S Thomas.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 13 June 2023.

Judges will be given greater powers to dismiss lawsuits designed purely to evade scrutiny and stifle freedom of speech through government amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill.

These legal cases, referred to as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), are often aggressively used by wealthy individuals or large businesses to intimidate and financially exhaust opponents, threatening them with extreme costs for defending a claim.

SLAPPs have been used prominently by Russian oligarchs to silence critics including investigative journalists, writers and campaigners to avoid scrutiny, often on bogus defamation and privacy grounds that prevent the publication of information in the public interest.

The amendments show the government is taking a leading role in cracking down on the abuse of the legal system by wealthy elites. It will create a new early dismissal process within the court system which will allow SLAPPs about economic crime to be rapidly thrown out by judges. This will make SLAPPs far less effective as a tool with which to threaten journalists and give reporters greater confidence to stand up to the corrupt, knowing the law is firmly on their side.

The move will enable the government to bring a swift end to the vast majority of SLAPPs cases, as at least 70% of the cases referenced in an report about SLAPPs, published in April 2022 by the Foreign Policy Centre and ARTICLE 19, were connected to financial crime and corruption.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk KC, said:

We are stamping out the brazen abuse of our legal system that has allowed wealthy individuals to silence investigators who are trying to expose their wrongdoing.

These measures will protect the values of freedom of speech that underpin our democracy and help better protect reporters who are shining a light on their crimes.

Crucially, the legislation will define the characteristics of SLAPPs relating to economic crime in law for the first time. This sets out that legal action taken to restrain a person’s freedom of speech or that the information within the piece has been released in the public interest to combat economic crime will count as a SLAPP.

Should a case reach court the early dismissal mechanism comprising of two tests will come into effect – whether a case is a SLAPP as defined by the Bill, and whether the claim has reasonable chance of being successful. This will put the onus on the complainants to prove that their case has merit, rather than on the defendant.

Justice Minister, Lord Bellamy, said:

Our reforms will ensure that journalists can shine a light on unscrupulous individuals who use and abuse our justice system to try and stop them.

As a result of our action it will be easier for the courts to swiftly dismiss cases, reducing the costs and stresses of lengthy legal proceedings.

In 2021 the Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe estimated that 14 SLAPPs cases were brought in the UK, an increase on the 2 cases in both 2020 and 2019.

As part of the wider package of reforms the government will introduce limits on the high costs associated with SLAPPs to prevent them from being financially ruinous. This will maintain access to justice and ensure defendants have the confidence to take on wealthy claimants.

This amendment is the first step in cracking down on SLAPPs used to limit freedom of speech. The government remains committed to tackling all forms of this nefarious practice and will set out further legislation beyond economic crime when parliamentary time allows.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

For too long corrupt elites have abused our legal system to evade scrutiny and silence their critics.

These new measures are a victory for truth and justice, and a blow to those who try and export their corruption to the UK.

They will help expose wrongdoing and bring an end to spurious lawsuits from those who seek to suppress our freedom of speech.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 12 June 2023.

Today (12 June 2023) the Ministry of Justice has launched a new Online Procedure Rule Committee to help guide judges, legal representatives and litigants through online court procedures.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 8 June 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Paul Jarvis and Edmund Smyth as non-judicial members of the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) for 4 years from 1 September 2023.

Paul Jarvis was first appointed to the CPRC on 1 September 2019. He is a Junior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court; appointed by the Attorney General to prosecute serious cases such as murder and terrorism. He undertakes voluntary work on the Bar Standards Board’s Independent Decision-Making Body. He has written books and articles on criminal procedure and given a range of lectures on relevant subjects.

Edmund Smyth was first appointed to the CPRC on 1 September 2019 is a Senior Associate in the Criminal Litigation Department of Kingsley Napley. He represents individuals and corporates across the full spectrum of criminal and quasi-criminal investigations and prosecutions involving matters such as financial crime, bribery and corruption, asset recovery, sexual offences and extradition. He is a committee member of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association and acts as the Association’s media officer.

The Courts Act 2003 established the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) to make rules governing the practice and procedure of magistrates’ courts, the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division.

The Act requires the CPRC, which is chaired by the Lord Chief Justice, to make rules that are simple and simply expressed and that help make the criminal justice system accessible, fair and efficient.

The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates the appointment of non judicial members of the CPRC and recruitment process must comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Appointments to the CPRC are made by the Lord Chancellor in consultation with the Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 30 May 2023.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 30 May 2023.

Mike Freer MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, has approved the appointments of Clare Brown, as a non-lay member and Kate Briscoe and Lizzie Peers, as lay members of the LSB.

Mike Freer MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, has approved the appointments of Clare Brown, as a non-lay member, and Kate Briscoe, as a lay member, of the Legal Services Board; both for a period of 4 years from 1 June 2023.

Mike Freer MP has also approved the appointment of Lizzie Peers, as a lay member of the Legal Services Board, for a period of 4 years from 1 October 2023.

Biographies

Clare Brown is a Barrister at 2 Temple Gardens. She is on the Treasury A Panel and is frequently instructed by the Government in high profile public law cases. She formerly worked for the European Court of Human Rights and for the Ombudsman of Human rights in Bosnia. Clare is also a senior lecturer on the Bar Course at City Law School, University of London.

Clare has not declared any political activity.

Kate Briscoe is the CEO and Co-Founder of LegalBeagles; the UK’s largest legal advice forum as well as JustBeagle; an independent search and legal comparison site to directly connect consumers to 10,000 regulated law firms across England and Wales. She has served as an expert panel member for the Solicitors Regulation Authority and, as a consumer rights advocate and consumer litigator, at Howlett Clarke Solicitors.

Kate has not declared any political activity.

Lizzie Peers has over nine years’ experience as a Non-Executive Director across a variety of national and local organisations including the University Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, the Ministry of Justice, DEFRA, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.  She has over 20 years of experience as an external auditor and regulator with the Audit Commission and Ernst and Young LLP.

Lizzie has not declared any political activity.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 29 May 2023.

Homicide Service expanded to support more people impacted by homicide and tragedies such as Grenfell Tower fire.

Bereaved families and eyewitnesses of homicide or major criminal incidents like the Manchester Arena bombing will receive better support than ever thanks to important changes coming into force on Thursday (1 June 2023).

The Homicide Service, backed by £5.27 million of government funding, provides essential services and practical support to families bereaved by murder or manslaughter – such as emotional and practical support like transportation as well as trauma and bereavement counselling and help navigating the criminal justice system.

Currently, the service – delivered on behalf of government by charity Victim Support – provides services for people who have been bereaved through murder or manslaughter.

But thanks to new measures coming into effect this week – and following a successful pilot in London which expanded the programme to eyewitnesses of homicide these life-changing services will be expanded to provide support to all those who directly witness a homicide or major criminal incident across England and Wales – approximately 1,200 more people.

Figures show that 8 out of 10 bereaved family members who have accessed support through the Homicide Service have reported a better outlook on life with 6 out of 10 saying it improved their health and sleep.

Today’s news builds on the government’s wider commitments to place victims at the heart of the justice system through the Victims and Prisoners Bill ensuring those impacted are always supported and have somewhere to turn.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk KC, said:

The Homicide Service provides vital support to the families of victims under the worst of circumstances – ensuring they have the emotional and practical help they need to cope with their loss.

By expanding the service to include eyewitnesses and bereaved families of major incidents across England and Wales thousands more people will be able to access the support they need as early as possible.

For the first time ever the Homicide Service will provide support to children and young people in the community after a major incident or local murder that impacts them directly such as a teacher, pupil or religious leader.

This will ensure the most vulnerable in society can receive professional help as quickly as possible to cope with traumatic events that could adversely impact their mental health.

Ellen Milazzo, Head of the National Homicide Service at Victim Support, said:

We are honoured to continue to deliver the National Homicide Service, which provides such vital support to those whose loved ones are killed through murder or manslaughter. We set up the service in 2010 and it has gone from strength to strength ever since. Expanding it to include support for direct eyewitnesses to homicide or a major criminal incident where a person is killed, alongside enhanced support for children and young people, is a brilliant step. These changes will enable us to deliver the best possible service for victims and ensure everyone impacted by homicide gets the help they need.

Justice Minister, Edward Argar, said:

This expansion of the Homicide Service, and additional new funding, will help ensure that more people bereaved through homicides and major criminal incidents across England and Wales, and eyewitnesses to those events, know they have somewhere to turn for help, where they can get the support they need.

The enhanced service will work alongside other government measures to help the victims and bereaved of major incidents. In March the government committed to creating an Independent Public Advocate (IPA) as part of the Victims and Prisoners Bill. This will work on behalf of families and provide dedicated support in the aftermath of major incidents like Hillsborough to guide them from as close to the incident as possible to the conclusion of any inquiry and ensure they get access to all available support services.