Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Burghart and David Lidington

Wednesday 28th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lidington]

These matters are always the subject of keen discussion between the business managers of all political parties. I am sure that the hon. Lady will encourage her party’s spokesman to make those representations.

[Alex Burghart (Brentwood and Ongar) (Con)]

T3. What progress is my right hon. Friend’s Department making on tackling the issues raised in the racial disparity audit?

[Mr Lidington]

Two weeks ago the Prime Minister launched a £90 million programme to help to tackle inequalities in youth unemployment. That is in addition to targeted employment support already under way in 20 areas across the United Kingdom.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Burghart and David Lidington

Tuesday 31st October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart (Brentwood and Ongar) (Con)]

3. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community sentences in reducing rates of reoffending.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Mr David Lidington)]

The reoffending rate for community sentences has been coming down since 2005. The latest figures show that 34% of adults given a community order or a suspended sentence order go on to reoffend. This evidence shows that community sentences are more effective at reducing reoffending than short-term prison sentences are.

[Alex Burghart]

I very much welcome the figures that were published on Thursday showing that recidivism was coming down for people on community sentences. However, about a third of people on community sentences do still reoffend, so will the Secretary of State consider the “swift and certain” programmes in the United States that have had considerable effect in reducing recidivism?

[Mr Lidington]

I am certainly keen to learn from best practice not just in the United States but in other jurisdictions around the world. What was striking about some of last week’s figures was that they showed that offenders who underwent drug or alcohol treatment in this country showed a 33% reduction in the number of offences they committed in the following two years. That is a lesson we can learn from.