Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to renovate HMP Grendon and Spring Hill in response to the Independent Monitoring Boards’ 2022 annual report, published on 12 May 2023.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Independent Monitoring Boards for HMP Grendon and Spring Hill have now published their annual reports for 2023, and I have written to them in response. In accordance with the usual practice, the reports, and my replies, are available on the Independent Monitoring Boards’ website (imb.org.uk).
His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has committed £26.3 million in the period 2020-25 towards the renovation of HMP Grendon, providing fire safety improvements and night sanitation. HMPPS has also identified projects to replace cell windows and refurbish showers at HMP Grendon; and for structural repairs to the Diamond Centre and the refurbishment of the shower facilities at HMP Spring Hill. These will be considered for inclusion in future capital maintenance programmes.
HMPPS is continually reviewing the investment required across the estate, in this and for the next Spending Review period. The proposals will be underpinned by the data collected in recent condition surveys which assessed the fabric, cells, and critical assets at each prison. These will inform long-term forward maintenance registers, which can be prioritised against future capital budgets.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to address the reported backlog of Personal Independence Payments tribunal claims.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has been working with the Tribunal’s judiciary both to appoint additional judges and panel members and to list more Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeals into each tribunal session. Case-management “triage” sessions have also been introduced, with the aim of reducing the time taken for appeals to reach final determination. In addition, HMCTS has recently launched a new digital service with a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals.
All these measures have the aim of increasing the capacity of the Tribunal and reducing the time taken to deal with PIP appeals. The number of PIP appeals outstanding in the latest period for which data are available shows a decrease of 13% when compared to the same period in 2018.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the longest waiting time for Personal Independence Payments tribunals for claimants in West Yorkshire.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of appeals against Disability Living Allowance decisions by claimants before tribunals have been successful during the last quarter for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
Between April and June 2019 (the latest quarter for which data are available), 75% of Personal Independence Payment appeals were successful1; for Disability Living Allowance appeals, it was 67%.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of appeals against Personal Independence Payment decisions by claimants before tribunals have been successful during the last quarter for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
Between April and June 2019 (the latest quarter for which data are available), 75% of Personal Independence Payment appeals were successful1; for Disability Living Allowance appeals, it was 67%.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to decrease waiting times for Personal Independence Payment tribunal appeals.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
It is important that appeals are heard as quickly as possible. The Ministry of Justice recognises that there are delays in the system and is in the process of recruiting more judicial office holders in order to increase capacity and help to reduce waiting times for appellants. In the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) jurisdiction, 225 new medical members and 119 disability-qualified members have recently been appointed and are now hearing cases. The SSCS jurisdiction will also benefit from the fact that 250 fee-paid judges and 100 salaried judges are being recruited across tribunals more widely. In addition, we have recently launched a new digital service with a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals and providing a better service for all parties to the proceedings.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 13 February (HL13342), what steps they are taking to reduce the waiting time for Personal Independence Payment appeals from the date on which an appeal is lodged to the final outcome.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
The Ministry of Justice recognises that there are delays in the system and is in the process of recruiting more judicial office holders in order to increase capacity and help to reduce waiting times for appellants. In the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) jurisdiction, 225 new medical members have already been appointed and 119 disability-qualified members have recently been recruited. The SSCS jurisdiction will also benefit from the fact that 250 fee-paid judges and 100 salaried judges are being recruited across tribunals more widely. In addition, we have recently launched a new digital service with a view to enabling speedier processing of appeals and providing a better service for all parties to the proceedings. Information on the new digital service can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 17 October (HL2078), which stakeholders, including disability groups, officials are engaging with, and on what relevant matters, in the consultation on the tribunal system <i>Transforming our Justice System</i>.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
‘Transforming our Justice System’ sets out the Government’s plans to modernise the justice system and it consults on specific elements of these reform proposals. This includes certain issues that are relevant to the tribunals, such as tribunal panel composition and the provision of ‘assisted digital’ services.
As the noble Lady will be aware, the consultation is available to the public, and anyone with an interest is welcome to feed in their views. Ministry of Justice and HMCTS have engaged directly with the judiciary, who are fundamental to the success of reform, in considering the operational implications of the reform proposals. They have also engaged and worked with other relevant Government departments, key legal institutions, and a range of stakeholders with an interest in disability and mental health. These discussions are ongoing and will continue as the plans are further developed and implemented.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposal to remove a panel member with direct experience of disability from appeals for Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
The Government is investing close to £1 billion to reform and digitise our courts and tribunals to deliver swifter and more certain justice.
Technology will be at the forefront of our reforms but specific support will be provided to ensure tribunals remain accessible to all and physical hearings will continue to be used to resolve many cases.
An impact assessment was published alongside the Transforming our Justice System consultation paper.
The panel composition reforms will ensure that the most appropriate panel is always selected to hear a case. As now, relevant expertise will always be available where needed, regardless of how a case is resolved. The Senior President of Tribunals will continue to determine when panel members are used.
Asked by: Baroness Thomas of Winchester (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the consultation on transforming the tribunal system <i>Transforming our Justice System</i> is not cross-referenced to the Department for Work and Pensions consultations website, given its relevance to the appeals process for Personal Independence Payment.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
The noble Lady will be aware that the Government is investing £1 billion to modernise our world-leading justice system. That means creating a system that is just, proportionate and accessible.
The ‘Transforming our Justice System’ consultation is about the administration of justice across all courts and tribunals and not one specific area. My officials are engaging with appropriate stakeholders, including disability groups, on relevant matters.