Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will take steps to ensure that judges in family courts receive training on preventing gender bias.
Answered by Oliver Heald
The Ministry of Justice does not oversee judicial training; the Lord Chief Justice does through the Judicial College.
The Judicial College provides awareness training of unconscious bias and the subject has been included in family law training. The Judicial College publishes the Equal Treatment Bench Book, which contains information about protected and other characteristics and includes a section on gender equality. This is publicly available at: https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/publications/equal-treatment-bench-book/ and enables judges to be sensitive to all issues of equal treatment, and to treat people fairly in proceedings.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to ensure that young intersex people are included in the Government's review of youth justice.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
A review of how transgender people – both adults and under-18s – are dealt with by prison and probation services is currently being conducted by the Ministry of Justice. This review includes those who identify as intersex. The findings and recommendations of this review will inform the review of the youth justice system which will report in July.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress his Department is making in arranging for the release of prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for public protection.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The release of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) is a matter for the independent Parole Board. The Parole Board directs the release of IPP prisoners on licence who have completed their minimum period of imprisonment (tariff), where the Board is satisfied that those prisoners may be effectively managed in the community.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the Criminal Court Charge.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
As the Secretary of State stated to the House on 8 September, we have been made aware of widespread concern about the operation of the Criminal Courts Charge, but it is important to stress that the Charge is levied or taken from the offender only after other impositions have been paid. It is important to note that statutory protections are in place so that the payment of the Charge in due course should be linked to the offender's means. Within the Bill there was a duty placed on the Lord Chancellor to carry out a review of the Criminal Courts Charge, three years after the implementation of the Charge.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the magistrates' courts which closed in the last five years were sold within 12 months of closure; how many such courts remain unsold; and what the average period is between closure and receipt of funds on sale.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
It has not been possible to answer this question in the time allowed. I will write to the honourable member in due course.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve access to legal aid for people with mental health issues; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The Government is aware of the importance of ensuring that vulnerable people, including those with mental health issues have access to Justice.
Whilst making savings to spending on civil legal aid we have made sure funding is available in cases where legal help is most needed. When we enacted the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, we specifically protected legal advice and legal representation for eligible persons involved in mental health and capacity proceedings under the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. In addition, certain damages claims brought against public authorities (those involving a significant breach of human rights or the abuse of a position of power) claims arising out of allegations of the abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, or allegations of sexual assault, continue to be funded.
We are monitoring the impacts of legal aid reform and will conduct a post implementation review within 3-5 years of implementation of part 1 of LASPO.