Tag: Ministry of Justice

  • PRESS RELEASE : Christina Blacklaws appointed as Chair of the Judicial Pension Board

    PRESS RELEASE : Christina Blacklaws appointed as Chair of the Judicial Pension Board

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 2 September 2022.

    The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Christina Blacklaws as Chair of the Judicial Pension Board for 3 years from 1 September 2022.

    Christina is an entrepreneurial solicitor who established a virtual law firm and the first UK ABS with the Cooperative Group. Christina acts as a non-executive director for law firms and tech companies, provides strategic advice on transformational change, innovation and diversity and inclusion, sits on the QC Selection Panel and chairs the MoJ’s Lawtech UK Panel.

    The Judicial Pension Board (JPB) is responsible for helping the Lord Chancellor to manage and govern the Judicial Pension Schemes.

    The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates the appointment of the JPB Chair and the recruitment process must comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New houseblock to boost prisoner employment prospects

    PRESS RELEASE : New houseblock to boost prisoner employment prospects

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 2 September 2022.

    • construction begins on new 200-place houseblock and workshop at HMP Stocken
    • innovative partnership with DHL to boost inmates’ skills and employment prospects
    • more than 100 jobs for local people and ex-offenders during construction

    Work has begun on a new 214-place houseblock at HMP Stocken (category C, Rutland)  creating more than 100 new local jobs – with at least 10 roles earmarked for ex-offenders with constructors Wates.

    As part of a drive to skill-up offenders to equip them for a life free from crime, the block includes an innovative partnership with shipping and logistics company DHL which will run courses at a purpose-built workshop. Prisoners will earn qualifications in the logistics industry, helping them find work upon release – boosting efforts to reduce reoffending and keep the public safe.

    The new houseblock will also include new prisoner classrooms and fitness facilities for offenders to aid rehabilitation.

    Prisons Minister, Stuart Andrew, said:

    This government is delivering on its promise to create 20,000 new prison places, complete with the workshops and facilities that will help to steer offenders towards the straight and narrow.

    This not only transforms the lives of the prisoners who will be set on a better path, it will protect us all by driving down reoffending and cutting crime.

    HMP Stocken Prison Governor Russ Truman said:

    This development will boost the prospects of prisoners by giving them even more opportunities to earn the skills and qualifications they need to find work on release.

    The Prison Service’s longstanding partnership with DHL sees them employ around 500 prisoners to pack more than 66,000 orders a week of food and toiletries purchased by offenders in jail.

    Construction of the houseblock is expected to be completed at the end of 2023, with the first prisoners arriving in early 2024.

    Andrew Riggs, Head of Government Sector, Wates, said:

    I’m delighted construction can begin on this positive project at HMP Stocken.

    We have been working closely with the MOJ for almost two decades to support the expansion of its estate and look forward to drawing on our in-house expertise to deliver these new prison places and create first-class facilities to help rehabilitate offenders.

    The development is part of a programme to create more than 4,000 new places across England and Wales by expanding existing jails, with construction already underway at HMP High Down and two houseblocks earmarked for HMP Guys Marsh.

    This is a key element of the government’s overall £4 billion investment to build 20,000 modern and innovative prison places, ensuring the right conditions are in place to truly rehabilitate prisoners. This will give prisoners the education, skills and addiction support they need to live crime-free lives on release, helping to cut crime and protect the public.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Millions invested to support female offenders

    PRESS RELEASE : Millions invested to support female offenders

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

    • Female offenders to be diverted from life of crime with targeted support
    • Women helped to get off drugs, off the streets into work

    Women whose crimes have been fuelled by addiction, mental health issues and domestic violence will be better supported to stop reoffending thanks to new government funding.

    With over 60 per cent of women in prison having experienced domestic abuse and 50 per cent having drug addictions almost £21 million will be invested in women’s services to tackle the causes of female offending and cut crime.

    Organisations such as Working Chance, the UK’s only charity dedicated to getting women with convictions into work, support offenders who are serving a community sentence or have recently been released from prison and may be at risk of reoffending.

    This tailored support, which can range from help to find a job or support with drug and alcohol abuse, can provide stability in getting their lives back on track – ultimately helping to keep the public safe.

    Without specialist support in the community, statistics show that half of women who have been in prison will go on to reoffend, contributing towards the £18 billion cost of reoffending to the taxpayer.

    A further £3.6 million will be allocated to help local services, such as mental health support and drug experts, work more closely together to support female offenders. This will include funding local coordinator roles, who would help to bring government and third sector organisations together to provide a better service.

    Prisons Minister Stuart Andrew said:

    Female offenders are often driven into crime by poor mental health, drug addiction or abuse.

    This investment will make sure we support women facing these problems away from crime and into the help they need to get their lives back on track.

    Tackling the root causes of female offending and providing vulnerable women with early support is a key part of the Female Offender Strategy, with many women who commit low-level crimes being driven by underlying factors such as substance abuse, trauma or difficulty in getting a job.

    Katie, 39, who spent 6 months in prison and has been helped back into employment through Working Chance, said:

    Mounting debt and mental health issues all contributed towards my offending, but I was determined to take responsibility and start getting my life back on track.

    Working Chance gave me the support needed to rewrite my CV, prepare for interviews and the confidence to disclose my convictions to potential employers.

    While women who commit the most serious crimes will always be sent to prison, custody should always be a last resort. On top of the £24 million funding, the government is also piloting a £10 million Residential Women’s Centre in Swansea, to reduce the number of women sent to prison.

    Female offenders at the centre will receive one-to-one mental health therapy and counselling to address their trauma from previous abuse and support to overcome substance misuse.

    This is alongside plans to pilot a new Problem-Solving Court targeted at women with complex needs, including drug and alcohol abuse.

    Female offenders sentenced at the court will see the same judge or bench of magistrates for regular reviews, receive intensive support and supervision from the Probation Service and have access to services for drug and alcohol abuse, and support with housing, training and employment.

    Since 2018, almost £55 million has been invested to support female offenders. New specialist staff have been recruited to support pregnant women and mothers in prison, and charities and community organisations have also received funding to keep services running.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Reappointment of 11 lay panel members of the Judicial Conduct and Investigations Office

    PRESS RELEASE : Reappointment of 11 lay panel members of the Judicial Conduct and Investigations Office

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

    The Lord Chancellor has announced the reappointment of 11 lay panel members of the Judicial Conduct and Investigations Office for a third term of 9 months.

    The Lord Chancellor, in consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, has announced the reappointment of 11 lay panel members of the Judicial Conduct and Investigations Office. The members are:

    Clive Chalk
    Bronwen Curtis CBE
    Paul Curtis
    Jenni Douglas-Todd
    Victor Marshall OBE
    Patrick Stayt
    Lynne Vernon
    Suzy Walton
    Judith Webb MBE
    Peter Wrench
    Wendy Yeadon
    The reappointments will run from 1 July 2022 to 31 March 2023.

    The Judicial Conduct and Investigations Office is an independent office which supports the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice in considering complaints about the personal conduct of judicial office-holders.

    Appointments and reappointments are made by the Lord Chancellor and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The reappointments have been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Biographies
    Clive Chalk is a retired Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police Service. He is a Lay Member of the Governing Board for Hounslow Clinical Commissioning Group and Lay Chair of the General Dental Council’s Investigating Committee.

    Bronwen Curtis CBE has held leadership positions in both the private and public sector and most recently as Director, Human Resources and Organisational Development, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. Bronwen is a lay member of the Speakers Committee for IPSA and a member of the regulatory appointments panel for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She is a former UK Board member of a global corporation and previously named Midlands Businesswoman of the Year. Bronwen was appointed CBE in 2007.

    Paul Curtis is Tribunal Chair of the Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service. He is a panel Lay Member at the General Optical Council. He is also Lay Chair at the School Admission Appeals Panel and Lay Chair Independent Review Panel (School Exclusions) at the East Sussex County Council

    Jenni Douglas-Todd is a Director of Equality and Inclusion at NHS England, Southampton. She is currently Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. Jenni is a former chief executive of Hampshire Police Authority and the Office of the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner. She is Independent Chairman of the Dorset Integrated Care System. Jenni is a member of the English Cricket Board’s Regulatory Committee; Non-Executive Director with Hampshire Cricket Board and a Trustee with the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders.

    Victor Marshall OBE is the professional standards co-ordinator for the Police Superintendents’ Association. Victor joined Sussex Police in 1979 and served in a variety of roles including firearms, public order, uniform, CID and professional standards retiring as a detective superintendent. He was appointed OBE, in 2010, and holds two Royal Humane Society awards for saving lives.

    Patrick Stayt: undertakes a number of voluntary roles and was formerly a member of the Police Remuneration Review Body and National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body. Patrick was previously National Secretary of the Police Superintendents’ Association for England and Wales. He retired from the Police Service, in 2010, after a 30-year career and was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

    Mrs Lynn Vernon is a retired Detective Chief Inspector. During her 30 years’ service with Greater Manchester Police she managed public protection, counter corruption and homicide investigation units. She now undertakes various roles as a lay member of the General Chiropractic Council Investigating Committee, Social Work England and the Royal college of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She is a Medical Education Partner at Manchester University, involved in the admissions for the Medical and Dental schools and the student Health and Conduct panel. She is a former chair of the GDC Investigating Committee.

    Dr Suzy Walton is a Chartered Director, Chartered Occupational Psychologist and a Chartered Scientist who has sat on over a dozen boards of large organisations both in the UK and internationally. She is a member of the board of the Institute of Directors and Vice President at the Royal Society of Medicine. Suzy is a regulatory Board member and Chairman at Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. She was a former member of the State Honours Committee which makes recommendations for awards to the Prime Minister and The Queen.

    Ms Judith Webb MBE is a board member of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and a member of the Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel. Her previous appointments include: Chair of Defra’s Rural Development Service during its transition into Natural England; Deputy Chair of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee; and Commissioner for Forestry Commission in Wales.

    Mr Peter Wrench is an independent adjudicator of student finance appeals and complaints for DfE and Welsh Government. He is also: a member of the Code Adjudication Panel of the Phone-paid Services Authority; a member of Disciplinary Tribunal of the CILEx Regulation; a member of Fitness to Practise Committee at the Nursing and Midwifery Council. He was formerly a member of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.

    Ms Wendy Yeadon is an Independent Chair at Social Work England. She is also Chair of Discipline, Appeals and Licensing Hearings at the ACCA. Wendy is: a Lay Adjudicator at the Solicitors Regulation Authority; a Chair of Fitness to Practice Panels at the Nursing and Midwifery Council and; a selection panel member at the Judicial Appointments Commission. Wendy was formerly a Lay Member of Professional Conduct Panels, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Amy Rees appointed to lead HMPPS

    PRESS RELEASE : Amy Rees appointed to lead HMPPS

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 31 August 2022.

    The Ministry of Justice has today (31 August 2022) announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive for Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).

    Amy Rees – previously the Director General of Probation, Wales and Youth for HMPPS – will succeed Dr Jo Farrar who will focus on her wider role as Second Permanent Secretary at the MOJ, including digital transformation of justice services.

    Under the restructure, following an operating model review led by the MOJ Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo, Phil Copple will become Director General of Operations for Prisons and Probation.

    Both roles will begin on 1 September 2022 and are part of a wider, ongoing agency transformation placing greater focus on the delivery of frontline services – keeping the public safe, delivering modern prisons that rehabilitate offenders and reducing reoffending.

    Having joined HMPPS in 2001, Amy worked in frontline positions at several prisons including HMP Lewes, High Down and Bristol before being appointed Governor at HMP Brixton in 2008.

    She has since acted as Executive Director for HMPPS in Wales and was the lead official with the Welsh Government on behalf of the MOJ.

    Amy also took on responsibility for the Youth Custody Service, including day-to-day operations and supporting its work to shape the future of children’s services in custody.

    Phil has been in the Prison service for over 30 years, joining in 1990 as a prison officer. He has governed in a number of prisons including HMP Deerbolt and HMP Frankland and led prisons and probation in the North East region, as NE Director of Offender Management.

    Phil took up post as Executive Director Prisons in 2017, before becoming Director General of Prisons in 2019.

     

  • PRESS RELEASE : Announcement of the reappointment of a non-judicial member, Diana Fawcett, of the Sentencing Council

    PRESS RELEASE : Announcement of the reappointment of a non-judicial member, Diana Fawcett, of the Sentencing Council

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 31 August 2022.

    The Lord Chancellor has announced the reappointment of Diana Fawcett as a non-judicial member of the Sentencing Council for a second tenure of 18 months.

    The Lord Chancellor in consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, has announced the reappointment of Diana Fawcett as a non-judicial member of the Sentencing Council with specific responsibility for promoting the welfare of victims of crime, for a second tenure of 18 months The re-appointment commenced on 5 April 2022 and will run until 4 October 2023.

    The SC was established by Section 118(1) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (“the Act”) to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing whilst maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The SC’s responsibilities include: developing sentencing guidelines and monitoring their use; assessing the impact of guidelines on sentencing practice; promoting the understanding of and increasing public confidence in sentencing and the criminal justice system.

    Appointments and re-appointments are made by the Lord Chancellor, in consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This reappointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Diana Fawcett

    Diana was first appointed to the Sentencing Council on 5 April 2019 for a period of three years. Diana was appointed as Director of Operations of the charity Victim Support in February 2015 becoming Chief Executive in January 2018.

    Prior to Victim Support, Diana was Director of Operations at Shelter for seven years where she was responsible for the charity’s advice and support services. She has also worked for four London boroughs and three housing associations, managing a range of housing, development and care services. She has been a trustee of Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network a charity providing advice and support to refugees since 2014 and was chair between 2015-21.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of four members to the Civil Justice Council

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of four members to the Civil Justice Council

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 30 August 2022.

    The Lord Chancellor has appointed Dr Natalie Byrom, Kate Pasfield, John Sorabji, and James Walker as members of the Civil Justice Council for three years from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2025.

    The CJC is a statutory advisory body established by the Civil Procedure Act 97.

    The CJC brings together members of the judiciary, civil servants, legal professionals and others representative of the varied perspectives, sectoral interests, specialist and professional expertise found across the civil justice system.

    The CJC has a statutory role in keeping the civil justice system under review. It advises the judiciary, government, and rule makers on the development of the civil justice system, especially how it can be more accessible, fair and efficient. It is empowered to make proposals for change and propose and undertake research.

    Biographies:

    Dr Natalie Byrom – Information Architecture and Econometrics CJC Member

    Dr Natalie Byrom is Director of Research at The Legal Education Foundation and founding Director of their Justice Lab initiative. She sits on the Administrative Justice Council as a member of the steering group and is data advisor to the President of the Family Division’s Transparency Implementation Group. Between 2018 and 2020 she served as an Expert Advisor on Open Data to Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service, where she made a series of recommendations to improve data collection, architecture and governance in the context of the ongoing programme of digital court reform.

    Kate Pasfield – Other areas of expertise relevant to civil justice CJC Member

    Kate Pasfield is Director of Legal Aid Policy and Member Services for the Legal Aid Practitioners Group. She previously spent 17 years in private practice and the not-for-profit sector as a legal aid solicitor specialising in housing and community care work.

    John Sorabji – Barrister Role CJC Member

    Dr John Sorabji is a barrister at Nine St John Street Chambers and an associate professor within the law faculty at University College London (UCL). In 2021 he was appointed Legal Adviser to the Independent Review of the Human Rights Act. He has previously advised the Lord Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls and other senior members of the judiciary on various legal and constitutional matters. He is General Editor of The White Book.

    James Walker – Small and medium size enterprises (SME) CJC Member

    James Walker is Chief Executive of Rightly, an organisation which helps consumers manage and own their data footprint. He is also the founder and Chief Executive of JamDoughnut, an an App that assists consumers to save money. James is also a Non-Executive of Consumer Scotland. He is a Non-Executive Director advising the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman and the Collaboration Network and sits on the Consumer Panels for the Office of Road and Rail and the Civil Aviation Authority. He formally founded and grew Resolver, a free consumer tool to assist consumers in resolving complaints and disputes and built an online dispute resolution platform.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New recruitment campaign for Victims’ Commissioner launched

    PRESS RELEASE : New recruitment campaign for Victims’ Commissioner launched

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

    The competition will run from today (25 August) until 19 September with the successful candidate taking on the role in the following months.

    It comes as the Government embarks on landmark reforms for victims, including new legislation to ensure they are better heard, served and supported by the criminal justice system. The role of the Commissioner will be crucial in delivering this – promoting the interests of victims and witnesses and ensuring all parts of the criminal justice system meet the standards set out in the Victims’ Code.

    The Government is investing nearly half a billion to provide the swift justice that victims deserve, and progress continues on the Rape Action Plan in order to increase the volume of prosecutions flowing through the system.

    Dame Vera Baird has agreed to continue in post until 30 September, with an option to extend until the end of the year and has been invited to reapply.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prisoners turn over new leaf through innovative farming scheme

    PRESS RELEASE : Prisoners turn over new leaf through innovative farming scheme

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 9 August 2022.

    Prisoners are to be upskilled in cutting-edge farming techniques as the government continues to get offenders into work and cut crime.

    The scheme, being run at HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, is part of a landmark trial between the prison and farming technology company, LettUsGrow, that will see prisoners grow leafy greens, salad and herbs in high-tech ‘vertical’ farms.

    Vegetables are grown in compact towers using aeroponics using an air or mist environment rather than soil.

    At the forefront of farming, this advanced technology produces more plants, more quickly and with 98 percent less water than conventional methods.

    Most importantly, the scheme will train prisoners up in the jobs of the future, such as farm management software, plant science and food safety. This will help them find a job on release in new and emerging technologies and dramatically reduce their chances of reoffending.

    This is just the latest move in the government’s strategy to make sure prisoners use their time behind bars to get the skills they need to find work once through the gate and back home.

    Prisons Minister Stuart Andrew MP:

    “This innovative scheme is just the tip of the iceberg in our drive to equip prisoners with the practical skills they need to get a job on release – ultimately cutting crime and keeping the public safe.

    Up there with education, family ties and addiction treatment, stable work holds the key to a life free from crime and safer communities for us all.”

    Ralph Lubowski, Governor of HMP Hewell:

    “I am delighted to partner with Lettus Grow in this fantastic initiative, which will give our prisoners the opportunity, confidence and training to turn their lives around.

    Vertical farming is an innovative, emerging industry and this partnership highlights our commitment to ensuring that prisoners are skilled up to find work on release.

    The latest figures show the number of former offenders in work six weeks after release has increased by nearly half, whereas proven reoffending has fallen to just over 25 percent – making huge progress in tackling the £18 billion cost of repeat offending and keeping the public safe.”

    Notes to editors

    The latest statistics from the Ministry of Justice show that the proportion of persons released from custody who were employed at 6 weeks from their release rose by 6 percentage points to 16 per cent between April 2021 and March 2021. This is an increase of more than half (57 per cent).

    New data shows that over the last 10 years, proven reoffending has decreased from 30.9 percent (2009/10) to 25.6 percent (2019/20).
    The Prisons White Paper – the Deputy Prime Minister’s strategy to reduce reoffending and keep the public safe – puts a laser-sharp focus in getting prisoners into work both behind bars and on release.
    Learn more about LettUsGrow here