Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Requisite and Minimum Custodial Periods) Order 2024
Debate between Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe and Earl of Courtown(3 weeks, 5 days ago)
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Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab)
My Lords, I welcome the Minister to his appointment and wish him well. I assure him that many people in the House will be anxious to assist him, so that we can move away from the inevitable decade-on-decade increase in the number of people in prison. When the last Government went out, we had 87,000 people in jail, and we now have 97,000 people in jail. I do not think there is any point in pointing to any party-political basis; we should be seeking to come together to take a longer view. I share precisely the views expressed by the noble Lord, Lord Deben: when we look at what is happening in Europe, why are we so different?
If the Netherlands has got empty spaces in its jails, why are we not sending some prisoners there? If Denmark has got empty spaces in its jails, why are we not sending some prisoners there? That is not to say that I think we should be about sending prisoners elsewhere; we should be about trying to get to the fundamentals behind what happens with criminal acts, and looking then at how we deal with people. We need to try to find a more civilised way of handling many of the cases in which people need not go to jail.
In particular, I get increasingly concerned about the problems we encounter with mental health within jails. I know a number of people working in jails from different angles, and the constant complaint is that there are so many people there who should not be in jail but who should in fact be cared for on a mental health basis rather than being incarcerated.
I have a couple of questions there, including on whether we can export people temporarily. I support the statutory instrument, but I hope that the Minister might be able to say that it is high time that we did not just have a review of the reasons why we have our current problems but that we in fact have an all-party approach to try to get a longer-term analysis of our fundamental difficulties, and of what new and more civilised steps can be taken. Then at least, stability could come from not increasing from the present numbers when we review this in 10 years’ time, and within the Government’s five-year period we might have a proper analysis of the underlying causes and a real strategy devised where we could all come together to work for a better life in the future.
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, I first thank the Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Timpson, for explaining the purpose of these regulations. As the House recalls, we had a repeat of the Statement on prison capacity that my noble and learned friend Lord Stewart of Dirleton responded to on behalf of His Majesty’s Opposition. This has been a fascinating debate, with, in fact, some great and fascinating contributions from all around the House, including from the Conservative Benches.
There are a number of matters that I would like to raise with the noble Lord. In the repeat of the Statement last week, his noble friend Lord Blunkett raised a very important point relating to the pressures being put on local communities. As he said, it poses for local communities
“the very real challenge of additional large numbers being released”.—[Official Report, 24/7/24; col. 513.]
As the Minister said himself, he had seen for himself people leaving prison with no one to meet them and nowhere to live. If this policy is to work, this will put further pressure on the system, so the funds must be made available to ensure that a decent start can be given to these individuals. Without doubt, there will be a demand for more funding through DWP and MHCLG. I wondered if the Minister has anything more to add on this subject.
Until when will the new 40% release point be applied? To say that it will apply until it is no longer needed, or until it is reversed, says nothing. The Ministry of Justice has projections of how many prisoners would be released earlier under this measure; we are told about 5,000 in September and October, and also an estimate of the incoming flow of prisoners. The department must have a working assumption of how long the measure will be needed. It would be good if the Minister could tell me what that estimate is.
We were told last week that there will be a review at the 18-month point. Will the Minister confirm that the current plan is for the release point to go back to 50% at that time? Will he confirm that he will be able to report to Parliament immediately if that plan changes? Notwithstanding what the Minister said on the criteria to be set for ending the policy, would it not be better that a sunset clause to the regulation was used, such that the Government would have to come back to report to Parliament to explain why a further period of release at the 40% mark is required?
As the Minister said, offenders will be subject to strict licensing conditions. Will these be more onerous than the licence conditions to which they would have been subject if released at the 50% mark? If so, how will they be different? Or will they be the same licence conditions but just imposed at the 40% mark?
The Minister also noted that tags would be used where required. We are told that the offenders can be ordered to wear electronic tags and that curfews will be imposed where appropriate. Will all prisoners released at the 40% mark be required to wear a tag, at least until they reach the 50% mark? Will such prisoners also be subject to a curfew for that period, or are we being told that tags and curfews are available, which we know, but will not be routinely imposed on this cohort?
Will the Minister be able to report to Parliament if any serious crimes are committed for those released at the 40% mark? Will His Majesty’s Government confirm that there are no plans for any further or earlier release of any other cohorts of prisoners?
This debate has been very useful. I look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say in response.
Yoga
Debate between Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe and Earl of Courtown
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will draw up a strategy and campaign for the expansion, particularly in the National Health Service, of access to yoga and its associated health benefits.
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, there is evidence that yoga helps to build strength in healthy adults and can improve health conditions such as high blood pressure. The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days a week, and yoga is one of many activities recommended in their report, Start Active, Stay Active.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab)
I am very grateful indeed to the noble Earl for such a positive response. I am sure that he will agree with the Secretary of State’s statement last autumn that, if the NHS is to survive, we need more social prescribing by GPs, which will help with the financial position. Given what the noble Earl just said, I am sure he will agree that yoga helps people with mental health problems and back pains, those tackling addictions, and people with obesity—a whole range of subjects. Is he willing to meet a group of representatives to discuss how we might take this forward, particularly in the context of the 10-year programme being drawn up to try to offer people greater movements towards better health while saving the NHS money? I declare an interest as the co-secretary of the All-Party Group on Yoga.
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, the noble Lord is quite right about the importance of social prescribing—it can be felt right across the population, particularly in relation to mental health. I agree with my right honourable friend the Secretary of State about social prescribing; that is one of his top priorities. The noble Lord asked whether a meeting could be arranged with me, him and other interested parties. I will pass that request on to the Minister responsible so that they can have a useful conversation.
Sport: Corruption
Debate between Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe and Earl of Courtown
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, transparency and openness in all these sporting bodies is of paramount importance. This is why, at the G20 summit, we looked at setting up the Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre, and why we are looking at the Criminal Finances Bill and establishing a joint financial analysis centre. The Government are investing in expertise in data and intelligence. The point is that these sporting bodies, many funded in part by public money, have to show their transparency, openness and correct behaviour.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab)
My Lords, this is a googly: is the Minister prepared to have a look at the full report by Transparency International, which he will find supports the Private Member’s Bill that I put before the House on lobbying transparency to avoid corruption within lobbying of government? Is he prepared to try to persuade the Minister in question to take a similarly positive approach to clearing up the mess there as he is doing on this subject?
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, I have been in the Chamber part of the time as the noble Lord’s Bill passes through your Lordships’ House. I will of course pass on his concerns to the Minister.
Companies: Remuneration
Debate between Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe and Earl of Courtown
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to legislate to introduce secret ballots for all employees to ratify decisions made at a company’s annual general meeting on the remuneration of that company’s directors and its five most highly paid employees.
The Earl of Courtown (Con)
My Lords, the Government have no such plans. The remuneration of company directors is primarily a matter for the company and its shareholders. Comprehensive reforms to the reporting and governance of directors’ pay in 2013 have boosted transparency for shareholders and given them a binding vote on companies’ remuneration policies. All company directors must have regard to the interests of employees in discharging their legal duty to promote the success of the company.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab)
My Lords, my question starts, “Does the noble Baroness know?”. However, does the noble Earl know that the UK now has very high income inequality compared with most other developed countries? Further, does he know that, even with the coming living wage increases planned over the next few years, it is possible that the wage gap will still be the same by 2020 as it is now and as it was in 2010? Is it not time, after a decade of stagnation, that we had some thoughts about how we can try to bring about a narrowing of that gap? Will the Minister please go back—or at least give an indication that he will go back—and come forward with some ideas about how we will narrow it?
The Earl of Courtown
I thank the noble Lord for his question. He raised a number of points, including the national living wage, which is about to come into force. We must also remember that the national minimum wage has had one of the biggest increases in its history. We take into account all the matters that he raised. He referred also to employee engagement and how important that is in the workplace.
Aviation: Sustainable Fuel
Debate between Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe and Earl of Courtown(8 years, 5 months ago)
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The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, the noble Baroness is right in so far as we have to look globally at the whole issue, including what is happening in the European Union. As the noble Baroness will no doubt be aware, we have been working with the International Civil Aviation Organization. In February, we reached agreement with other states in the ICAO on a global CO2 standard for aircraft, which is all part of the same picture. All new aeroplane designs applying for certification from 2020 will have to be compliant with the CO2 emissions standard. Designs already in production will also need to comply from 2023.
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab)
My Lords, when will the consultation be concluded and when will the Government implement it?
The Earl of Courtown
My Lords, as I said earlier, the consultation will start later this year. I do not have any information on when it will conclude but I have read out the areas that we shall be looking at. Of course, I will write to the noble Lord if there is any more information that I can give him.