Tag: Ministry of Justice

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 4 November 2022.

The new prison – opening in 2025 – will hold nearly 1,500 prisoners who will spend their time behind bars learning the skills they need to find work on release, as part of the government’s drive to cut re-offending and keep the public safe.

The site will be the first prison in the UK to run solely on electricity, with solar panels and heat pump technology meaning it will use 78% less energy than HMP Wormwood Scrubs – a traditional Victorian prison – cutting energy costs to taxpayers by over £1.1 million a year.

The government will launch a competition later this year to select an operator to run the new prison. Companies bidding will be challenged to produce a ‘jobs blueprint’ setting out how they would work with local businesses to train-up prisoners with the skills most sought by local employers. The plan forms part of the government’s drive to cut re-offending and make our streets safer by helping ex-offenders find work and put crime behind them.

Minister for Prisons and Probation, Damian Hinds, said:

The new prison at Full Sutton will protect the public and the public purse, using the latest technology to cut energy costs.

Giving prisoners the skills in demand by local businesses will help them find work and turn over a new leaf – cutting reoffending and making our streets safer.

The new jail will be supporting former prisoners into meaningful work before it even opens its doors – with at least 50 ex-offenders to be employed by construction firm Kier.

The building project is also set to boost jobs in East Yorkshire, with a quarter of those working on the build and 40% of the construction spend falling within 50 miles – filling order books for local supply chain businesses.

Ministers today launched the public consultation to choose the name of the new facility – inviting people in and around Full Sutton to offer suggestions which reflect the culture and history of the area.

Councillor Jonathan Owen, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:

I welcome the start of the construction of the new prison which, when completed, will provide a great boost to the local economy and employment market with the creation of over 600 jobs as well as providing a focus on skills and training to get prisoners into jobs on their release.

The new site will set a gold-standard for energy efficiency – set to use 68% less energy from the national grid than even the newly-built HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, and draw 18 GWh less energy from the electricity and gas networks every year than HMP Belmarsh – which is equivalent to powering 1,200 homes for a year.

The start of construction at Full Sutton follows hot on the heels of HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, Britain’s first ‘smart’ prison which opened in March. Work is also nearing completion at HMP Fosse Way, the new 1,700-place prison set to open at Glen Parva in Leicestershire next year.

Liam Cummins, Group managing director of Kier Construction, said:

Breaking ground at Full Sutton yesterday was a major milestone for this new prison. It builds on our successful partnership with the MoJ, where we have been operating successfully in close collaboration for the past decade.

We will deliver this new prison as a cutting-edge facility, built on engineering excellence that we have utilised on other projects, and using innovative sustainable methods which will achieve net zero in operation.

Alongside this, we’ll create hundreds of jobs throughout the lifecycle of the project, supporting local people and the supply chain, as well as providing opportunities for prisoners on release.

Jason Millett, CEO for Consult at Mace, said:

Mace has worked closely with the MoJ to deliver the New Prisons Programme, completing at HMP Five Wells earlier this year and bringing practical delivery experience to the entirety of the programme.

The new prison at Full Sutton will be a world-leading example of how a focus on net zero development can create positive, sustainable change. This milestone is a fantastic achievement for our teams and demonstrates our strength in delivering against the decarbonisation agenda.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 4 November 2022.

Charities across England and Wales will be able to bid for new money to run programmes designed to steer young people away from law-breaking and into positive activities aimed at teaching teamwork, resilience and discipline.

While the number of young people in custody remains at a record low, statistics show around 80% of prolific adult offenders begin committing crimes as children – with the economic and social costs of reoffending costing the taxpayer an estimated £18 billion per year.

The new funding announced today builds on the government’s work to catch and prevent youth offending earlier than ever – helping to prevent these young people becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.

Earlier this year, the Deputy Prime Minister announced the biggest funding package in a generation to tackle youth offending and cut crime, including £60 million for early intervention.

Today’s news also delivers on the commitment made in the Prisons Strategy White Paper – published in December last year – to introduce further measures for early intervention to cut youth crime, keep streets safe and create fewer victims.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said:

I have seen first-hand how local sports projects can transform the lives of young people from tough backgrounds, getting them off the streets and teaching them life skills including teamwork, discipline, and resilience.

That’s why we’re investing £5 million in innovative sporting schemes up and down the country. It is part of our £300 million investment to support every council across England and Wales in catching and preventing youth offending earlier than ever, making our streets safer.

Charities and organisations wanting to deliver the sports programmes will be able to bid for the money – with hundreds of organisations expected to benefit from the funding.

The Ministry of Justice will work closely with its delivery partner – StreetGames and consortium partners the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice and the Sport for Development Coalition – to oversee the application process and delivery of the funding.

Stuart Felce, StreetGames Director of Sport and Community Safety, said:

We’re really excited to be partnering with the Sport for Development Coalition and the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice to deliver this ambitious new programme from the Ministry of Justice.

These funds are a vote of confidence in the power of sport to provide young people with a positive pathway and to help prevent them from falling into the criminal justice system.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 1 November 2022.

The pilot in Middlesbrough and Manchester expands the scope of legal aid funding to more people who previously would not have been eligible for free legal advice, to help them address issues before they become more complex or costly.

The aim is to ensure people have a better chance of swiftly resolving legal problems, stopping them from spiralling into further difficulties.

Currently, many people do not access legal advice until too late, causing further problems, such as having to appear in court, increased debt, and even homelessness. The pilot will explore if these issues can be avoided by providing legal advice earlier.

The pilot advice will be offered to individuals struggling with housing issues, paying bills or experiencing problems with their benefits, with no means or merits tests required. To understand what difference the pilot service makes, participants of the pilot will either receive up to three hours of free legal advice and support or be signposted to existing advice services.

Justice Minister Lord Bellamy KC said:

Early legal advice can be invaluable for people that find themselves in difficult and stressful situations, helping struggling individuals avoid falling further into debt or ending up in court.

Through this pilot we are paving the way for more people to receive free legal advice, at an earlier point in time so that their problems can be addressed before they worsen.

A legal adviser can explain issues like council tax arrears, and provide further information about housing rights and how to apply for Universal Credit, if required.

Invitations to the scheme will be sent out to people who have fallen behind on council tax payments by Manchester City Council and Middlesbrough Council. Invitees will then be asked to complete a confidential survey to determine whether they have a legal issue that requires support.

After the 5-month initial testing phase, the Ministry of Justice will review evidence collected through the evaluation and use this to inform the design of a future larger-scale pilot.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 27 October 2022.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Beverley Thompson-Brown OBE, as a non-judicial member of the Sentencing Council, for a second term of 3 years from 15 June 2022.

The Sentencing Council for England and Wales was established by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, whilst maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The Sentencing Council’s responsibilities include; developing sentencing guidelines and monitoring their use; assessing the impact of guidelines on sentencing practice; and promoting the understanding of and increasing public confidence in sentencing and the criminal justice system.

Appointments to the Sentencing Council are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Beverley Thompson-Brown

Beverley Thompson-Brown has spent over 30 years working in the criminal justice sector initially as a probation officer in London. She was Director for Race, Prisons and Resettlement Services at NACRO for 10 years and is currently an Independent consultant having recently worked on a Lammy-related project for HMPPS. She works across the UK, Australia, USA & Canada on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion strategies. Prior to this, she was a Senior Civil Servant at HMPS and was awarded an OBE for services to Race Equality in 2000. Furthermore, she has been the Chief Executive of Northampton Probation Service.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 October 2022.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 18 October 2022.

The construction of a state-of-the-art combined court is underway in the heart of London’s legal centre as part of Salisbury Square, a new development on Fleet Street.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 17 October 2022.

An extra £10 million a year will also be invested in housing legal aid, so that thousands more people can access legal advice when they fall into difficult times and face the risk of eviction.

The extra support for domestic abuse victims will kick in to support the use of new Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, which the Government committed to introducing in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Once in use, police will be able to issue Protection Notices to provide immediate protection for victims following an incident, for example by requiring a perpetrator to leave the victim’s home. Protection Orders will be handed out by the court to impose longer-term protection, including ordering the perpetrator to attend behaviour change programmes or wear an electronic tag.

Victims protected by these will now have access to free expert legal advice and representation in court.

Justice Minister Lord Bellamy KC said:

Legal advice should always be available to those who need it, especially victims of domestic abuse who often rely on lawyers to ensure they are protected from abusers.

By making it easier for victims to access legal aid, more people will be better supported through court proceedings and can start the process of moving on safely with their lives.

Reforms to the former Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme also mean that anyone facing eviction or repossession will receive free early legal advice on housing before appearing in court, as well as continuing to get advice and representation on the day of their hearing. By helping people facing the loss of their home at the earliest point, it will potentially avoid the need for court proceedings altogether. Individuals with a repossession notice can also receive early legal advice on debt and welfare benefit matters, to help with the wider issues they may face.

A further change will help domestic abuse victims by allowing doctors to submit letters of evidence for legal aid applications following video or telephone consultations.

Other legal aid changes that are being introduced today will:

• ensure special guardians – family members or friends who take on parental responsibilities for a child – are eligible for legal aid in private court proceedings determining parental control over a child
• standardise the means and merit testing requirements for birth parents involved in placement and adoption order proceedings where a local authority is authorised to place a child for adoption
• ensure victims of domestic abuse applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK, under the immigration rules, are eligible for legal aid

This is part of over £2.2 billion investment in civil and criminal legal aid over three years.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 4 October 2022.

The Justice Secretary, Brandon Lewis MP, has today (Tuesday 4 October) announced that more thieves, burglars and robbers will be fitted with GPS electronic tags when they leave prison, helping cut crime and keep the public safe.

Under this expansion of this Government’s Acquisitive Crime GPS tagging project, 2,000 more criminals will have their whereabouts monitored on leaving custody – another important step forward in the use of technology to drive down re-offending rates and protect our communities.

Under the current system, only criminals with sentences of a year or more can be monitored via electronic tags on release under the scheme. The changes announced today will see offenders with sentences of 90 days or more eligible to be tagged – dramatically cutting the existing sentence threshold by nine months.

Tags for criminals who carry out theft, burglary, and robbery offences – known as acquisitive crimes – were introduced last year. They work by tracking the physical movements of offenders so police can find out if any tagged offenders were in the vicinity of a crime.

The technology also allows probation staff to keep a much closer eye on the whereabouts of offenders under their supervision – meaning they are better able to prevent ex-criminals from falling back into a life of crime.

The expansion, part of this Government’s unprecedented £183 million investment in expanding the use of electronic monitoring technology, means the UK is continuing to lead the world in using tagging to fight crime and keep people safe.

The Justice Secretary has also (today) confirmed his plans to create more oversight of where transgender prisoners are housed and consider options to ensure risk assessments are robust as possible.

The government has been clear on the issue of single sex spaces – whether it be in our prisons, our schools, or our hospitals. That is why we will act to better protect single sex spaces within our prisons and protect women from harm.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 29 September 2022.

Criminal barristers have agreed to vote on ending strike action to get justice moving for victims following discussions with Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP.

The Criminal Bar Association will re-ballot members following meetings with the Lord Chancellor and his decision to offer a package of further reforms and fee uplifts to criminal legal aid.  This represents further investment of £54 million in the criminal bar and solicitors.

A planned 15 percent fee increase for criminal barristers will now apply to the vast majority of cases currently in the Crown Court. This will also apply to fee increases for solicitors and is part of a wider package of proposals announced by the government today (29 September 2022) to help tackle the court backlog.

As part of the proposals, the Criminal Bar Association and Bar Council have also committed to working together with the government to reduce the courts backlog and increasing diversity among barristers. Measures designed to reduce delays for victims, such as increasing early resolution of cases, reducing the number of ineffective trials and progressing cases between magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court, will be explored.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis said:

I greatly value the criminal bar and solicitors and the work they do every day in our Crown and Magistrates Courts. They are crucial to reducing the backlog.

My priority in these discussions has been to ensure that victims aren’t forced to wait longer to see justice done.

These are generous proposals, and I would strongly urge all members of the Criminal Bar Association to consider carefully, end their strike and work with me to deliver better outcomes for victims of crime.

The Ministry of Justice will make £3 million of funding available for case preparation like written work and special preparation.  A further £4 million will be allocated to defence barristers involved in pre-recorded cross-examinations, which are used to reduce the trauma of a trial for vulnerable victims and witnesses.

The Ministry of Justice is also proposing a £5 million uplift per year for fees in the youth court, from the 2024/25 financial year, expected to benefit both solicitors and some junior barristers.

An Advisory Board on Criminal Legal Aid reform will hold its first meeting in October, to discuss future proposals to improve the system for legal professionals and victims in a constructive way.

Further uplifts for solicitors will be announced in the weeks ahead.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 September 2022.

This summer, Karen – a volunteer at charity DeafCOG in London – became the first Deaf person to complete jury service with a BSL interpreter at Croydon Crown Court, deliberating over a racially aggravated harassment case. Karen was also chosen by the other members of the jury to act as the jury foreperson – the spokesperson responsible for announcing the verdict.

Others are now following in Karen’s footsteps, including Paul who served on a serious sexual assault case at Norwich Crown Court last month. Both jurors had three interpreters who rotated every 20 minutes to assist them, as well as the full support of the judge and HM Courts and Tribunals Service staff.

The move follows changes brought in through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which allow BSL interpreters into the jury deliberation room. It is expected that this will open up jury service to over 80,000 Deaf people across England and Wales.

Speaking about her experiences in court, Karen said:

My jury experience at Croydon Crown Court went smoothly and exceeded my expectations.

The staff, from the jury manager, ushers, clerks and judges were extremely aware of the needs of myself and the BSL interpreting team. I was made to feel included every step of the way.

An excellent and amazing opportunity for me and what a great start to leading the way for other Deaf jurors in the future, now that BSL is recognised as a language.

Paul said:

Being on jury duty has been a dream of mine and I believe the Deaf/BSL community has so much to offer. When the law changed to allow the Deaf/BSL community to sit on a jury, and I received my summons, naturally I was excited but nervous as I did not know what to expect.

Upon arriving at Norwich Crown Court, I was made to feel very welcome and there were three BSL interpreters ready. It was surreal experience and the whole process was streamlined and smooth. The training was clear and easy to follow, then the trial began, and I was amazed that I was treated equally to other jurors. This give me a sense of respect as the other jurors were keen to work with me and make me feel involved.

The trial ran over and the interpreters I had been working with were now unavailable. However, I was pleased to see the judge and court staff went above and beyond to find alternative interpreters for the rest of the trial. It was sorted without a hinderance. The judge requested feedback from me on how to improve for future cases and expressed a strong desire to make sure Norwich Crown Court is accessible and fair for all. I was deeply touched by this.

I was so honoured to be selected as the foreperson by other members of the jury, making me the first Deaf/BSL foreperson at Norwich Crown Court! It was a very empowering experience and I want to say thank you to everyone at the court and in the jury for making this possible. I look forward to seeing  more of the Deaf/BSL community being part of the justice system, as it should be.

Guidance on working with jurors supported by BSL interpreters was provided to court staff, judges and other jury members to ensure they could communicate effectively with Karen and Paul, as well as the interpreters. Printed oaths for the interpreters were also placed in the courtrooms which contained new wording specific to not influencing, interfering or disclosing the deliberation of the jury.

Justice Minister Gareth Johnson said:

We are breaking down the barriers for Deaf people carrying out jury service, ensuring they can fully and equally participate in court proceedings.

I am delighted that the door is now open to thousands more potential jurors as we establish a more accessible and inclusive justice system for all.

Work and Pensions Secretary Chloe Smith said:

The first Deaf juror completing jury service is an historic moment on our path towards a more inclusive and accessible society. I am so glad to hear of Karen and Paul’s positive experiences while undertaking an important act of public service.

Earlier this year the British Sign Language Act became law, and I’m delighted to see that our work to recognise BSL as a language is fulfilling its promise to help remove barriers faced by the D/deaf community.

The move has been well-received within the Deaf community.

Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive at RNID, said:

RNID and our supporters are delighted that deaf BSL users can now serve on juries and are no longer excluded from this act of citizenship. This move will allow tens of thousands of deaf people who use BSL as their first language to take part in jury service, a duty which all of us should have a responsibility to undertake.

We are pleased to see another step forward towards inclusion for the Deaf community, yet there are still many barriers which exist for deaf BSL users in society. We’re pleased to see this positive step, and eagerly anticipate many more barriers being broken as Government works towards the delivery of the British Sign Language Act.

David Buxton, British Deaf Association Chair, said:

After decades of campaigning, the 87,000 Deaf people in the UK whose first or preferred language is BSL are now finally able to serve as jurors alongside their hearing fellow citizens.

We are pleased that the Ministry of Justice has recognised that a BSL interpreter is there to support the Deaf juror, rather than to act as a thirteenth juror. Interpreters follow a strict professional Code of Conduct which prevents them from influencing the judicial process in any way.

This represents a crucial and long overdue step forward in the equality, inclusion and participation of Deaf people in our democracy, combined with the BSL Act – which passed on the same day in April 2022 – recognising British Sign Language as a language of Great Britain in law for the first time.

Barriers to Deaf people’s full democratic participation remain – we have yet to see the election of a Deaf MP – but we hope that this important step demonstrates the potentially huge contribution that the Deaf community in the UK can make to our society when reasonable adjustments such as BSL interpreters are provided as standard.

We look forward to continue working with the Government to break down further unnecessary barriers and challenge discriminatory attitudes and practices in future.