Prisoners for Palestine: Hunger Strikes

Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway Excerpts

Monday 2nd February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Timpson (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend. It is vital that, because so many people leave prison with drug, alcohol and mental health issues, we carry on that care with our health partners when they leave. I am really pleased that we are rolling out four new NHS neighbourhood hubs working with the probation team. These are based in probation offices so the teams can all work together. I hope to roll that out further. In some ways, it is a bit like the intensive supervision court model—to address someone’s complex needs, you need more people in the room than just probation staff, even though they do a fantastic job. It is where health partners, DWP partners and so on work. On Thursday last week, I was in Southampton meeting the probation teams there. It was clear from what they were telling me that, apart from needing lots more technology and support, it is about being joined up with other government departments, especially health and housing. That joint approach is vital to ensure that when people leave prison, we keep the support around them so they do not come back.

[Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway (Lab)]

My Lords, prisoners on remand are, of course, innocent until proven guilty and as such are entitled to certain privileges in respect of clothing, family visits and reading materials. Will the Minister agree to meet legal representatives of prisoners and initiate his own review of whether those entitlements are being met in full?

[Lord Timpson (Lab)]

Prison rules are there for a very good purpose, and rules are rules. It is the same for any prisoner, on remand or not. If any prisoner is not content, their concerns can be brought to the independent monitoring board or the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

“Hillsborough Law”

Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab)]

Yes, the Government are very clear: we remain fully committed to bringing legislation forward at pace, which will include a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply with that duty of candour.

[Baroness O’Grady of Upper Holloway (Lab)]

My Lords, many truth and justice campaigns, from Orgreave to Grenfell as well as Hillsborough, have faced that culture of state defensiveness and denial. In addition, working-class communities also face an unequal battle for justice because of legal aid and resources. Can my noble friend the Minister guarantee that the new law will right that wrong and give working-class communities real access to justice?

European Court of Human Rights

Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway Excerpts

Wednesday 25th October 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bellamy (Con)]

I entirely agree with my noble friend.

[Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway (Lab)]

My Lords, will the Minister undertake to educate Cabinet colleagues about the specific impact that leaving the convention would have on the Good Friday agreement, and on our trade and co-operation agreement with the EU? I refer him to the Institute for Government, which has recently published analysis that says it would have a huge destabilising and damaging impact.

[Lord Bellamy (Con)]

Not being a member of the Cabinet, I cannot give the noble Baroness that undertaking, but I am sure the Government as a whole are well aware of the implications of what we are discussing.