Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequate provision of (a) accommodation and (b) support for prisoners on release.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Everyone leaving prison should have somewhere safe and secure to live; accommodation enables offenders to hold down a job and reduces the likelihood of them reoffending.
We have invested an additional £22m per annum over the remaining life of the Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) contracts to deliver an enhanced Through the Gate resettlement service to people leaving prison to prepare them for release. The enhanced service includes the requirement that CRCs complete specific, tailored, tasks to help prisoners to secure and maintain settled accommodation, gain employment and manage debt and their financial affairs. During the Covid period most of this support is being provided remotely. After a prison sentence, service users are supervised and supported by Probation Officers in the Community.
As part of its Covid-19 pandemic response, Her Majesty Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) have set up seven Homelessness Prevention Taskforces (HPTs) to coordinate the sourcing of accommodation for those offenders released early, in order to ensure no offender is released early without accommodation in place. It has also put in place an ‘Exceptional Delivery Model’ for CRC services during the current Covid-19 crisis to ensure that the support an individual requires to address their criminogenic needs will still be provided during this period.
Additionally, Government has now decided that because of public health concerns and public protection considerations, there is a need to provide accommodation for a larger cohort of prison leavers. The Ministry of Justice has secured up to £8.5 million to support individuals at risk of homelessness on their release from prison for up to eight weeks and help to move on into permanent accommodation. This scheme was originally due to run until 26th June; however, we have recently undertaken our first review and, following this, have extended the scheme until 31 July.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prisoners were released without a fixed address from each prison in financial year 2016-17.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The Government has now decided that because of public health and public protection considerations, there is a need to provide accommodation for prison leavers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Justice has secured appropriate funding for a time-limited period to support the provision of accommodation for all individuals released from prison during this period, who are at risk of homelessness. The temporary accommodation scheme will run until 26th June at which point it will be reviewed, taking account of the situation at that time. This is an exceptional measure reflecting the current challenges. Additionally, we are also working in collaboration with other government departments and interested parties to help to secure a range of accommodation options for prisoners on their release.
Whilst our immediate concern is to support those individuals released from prison into suitable accommodation, in the long-term we will analyse the lessons learned during this period, to further develop how we can improve the accommodation offer for those with a history of offending.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women in prison have (a) been identified as eligible for release on a Special Purpose Licence under compassionate Release on Temporary Licence provisions, (b) made applications for release on a Special Purpose Licence and (c) been refused release on a Special Purpose Licence since 31 March 2020.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The early release schemes were introduced as one element of a package of measures to create headroom to help contain the spread of the virus in prisons, alongside the creation of temporary accommodation and expediting of remand cases. This has enabled us to compartmentalise prisons to isolate the sick, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals. These measures have helped to contain the spread of the virus and limit deaths significantly, compared to initial estimates.
To be eligible, women had to be serving prisoners who were not subject to recall who should only be released if they do not present a level of risk of harm, reoffending, failure to return or other significant challenge that cannot reasonably be managed in the community.
As of 12 June, the overall number of women prisoners who were eligible under the Special Purpose Licence scheme (SPL) and wanted to be considered was 44, of which 23 have been released so far. The relevant processes are live and underway, with Governors/Directors considering eligible women for temporary release on a rolling basis, and releases taking place as soon as it is safe to do so once suitable accommodation and healthcare pathways have been identified.
The number of women in custody who asked to be considered for the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme (ECTR) is 236, from which there have been 6 releases so far, as of 12 June. Risk and suitability are assessed after application to determine who is eligible; this involves assessments by the prison establishment, probation and police colleagues. All those deemed as suitable for ECTR release following these checks are released within a week, unless there is no appropriate accommodation available, or if they decide they no longer wish to proceed with their application. In some cases, it may be possible that they are released via the Home Detention Curfew scheme or on their conditional or automatic release date, prior to the ECTR process concluding.
For those women released under SPL who are pregnant or had their babies with them in custody, Approved Premises would not be an appropriate release plan, as the Approved Premises estate cannot accommodate children. Data is not held on the number of women considered under ECTR, and who have been unable to be released due to a lack of an Approved Premises place.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women in prison have (a) been identified as eligible for release under the End of Custody Temporary release scheme, (b) applied for release under that scheme and (c) had applications for release under that scheme refused since 31 March 2020.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The early release schemes were introduced as one element of a package of measures to create headroom to help contain the spread of the virus in prisons, alongside the creation of temporary accommodation and expediting of remand cases. This has enabled us to compartmentalise prisons to isolate the sick, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals. These measures have helped to contain the spread of the virus and limit deaths significantly, compared to initial estimates.
To be eligible, women had to be serving prisoners who were not subject to recall who should only be released if they do not present a level of risk of harm, reoffending, failure to return or other significant challenge that cannot reasonably be managed in the community.
As of 12 June, the overall number of women prisoners who were eligible under the Special Purpose Licence scheme (SPL) and wanted to be considered was 44, of which 23 have been released so far. The relevant processes are live and underway, with Governors/Directors considering eligible women for temporary release on a rolling basis, and releases taking place as soon as it is safe to do so once suitable accommodation and healthcare pathways have been identified.
The number of women in custody who asked to be considered for the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme (ECTR) is 236, from which there have been 6 releases so far, as of 12 June. Risk and suitability are assessed after application to determine who is eligible; this involves assessments by the prison establishment, probation and police colleagues. All those deemed as suitable for ECTR release following these checks are released within a week, unless there is no appropriate accommodation available, or if they decide they no longer wish to proceed with their application. In some cases, it may be possible that they are released via the Home Detention Curfew scheme or on their conditional or automatic release date, prior to the ECTR process concluding.
For those women released under SPL who are pregnant or had their babies with them in custody, Approved Premises would not be an appropriate release plan, as the Approved Premises estate cannot accommodate children. Data is not held on the number of women considered under ECTR, and who have been unable to be released due to a lack of an Approved Premises place.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women prisoners eligible for release under the special purpose licence or end of custody release schemes have been denied release as a result of lack of places in approved premises since 31 March 2020.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The early release schemes were introduced as one element of a package of measures to create headroom to help contain the spread of the virus in prisons, alongside the creation of temporary accommodation and expediting of remand cases. This has enabled us to compartmentalise prisons to isolate the sick, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals. These measures have helped to contain the spread of the virus and limit deaths significantly, compared to initial estimates.
To be eligible, women had to be serving prisoners who were not subject to recall who should only be released if they do not present a level of risk of harm, reoffending, failure to return or other significant challenge that cannot reasonably be managed in the community.
As of 12 June, the overall number of women prisoners who were eligible under the Special Purpose Licence scheme (SPL) and wanted to be considered was 44, of which 23 have been released so far. The relevant processes are live and underway, with Governors/Directors considering eligible women for temporary release on a rolling basis, and releases taking place as soon as it is safe to do so once suitable accommodation and healthcare pathways have been identified.
The number of women in custody who asked to be considered for the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme (ECTR) is 236, from which there have been 6 releases so far, as of 12 June. Risk and suitability are assessed after application to determine who is eligible; this involves assessments by the prison establishment, probation and police colleagues. All those deemed as suitable for ECTR release following these checks are released within a week, unless there is no appropriate accommodation available, or if they decide they no longer wish to proceed with their application. In some cases, it may be possible that they are released via the Home Detention Curfew scheme or on their conditional or automatic release date, prior to the ECTR process concluding.
For those women released under SPL who are pregnant or had their babies with them in custody, Approved Premises would not be an appropriate release plan, as the Approved Premises estate cannot accommodate children. Data is not held on the number of women considered under ECTR, and who have been unable to be released due to a lack of an Approved Premises place.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prisoners were released without a fixed address from each prison in financial year 2015-2016.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Information relating to the proportion of prisoners who were released from each prison without a fixed address between 2015 and 2016 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
The Government has now decided that because of public health and public protection considerations, there is a need to provide accommodation for prison leavers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Justice has secured appropriate funding for a time-limited period to support the provision of accommodation for all individuals released from prison during this period, who are at risk of homelessness. The temporary accommodation scheme will run until 26th June at which point it will be reviewed, taking account of the situation at that time. This is an exceptional measure reflecting the current challenges. Additionally, we are also working in collaboration with other government departments and interested parties to help to secure a range of accommodation options for prisoners on their release.
Whilst our immediate concern is to support those individuals released from prison into suitable accommodation, in the long-term we will analyse the lessons learned during this period, to further develop how we can improve the accommodation offer for those with a history of offending.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of prisoners released from each prison in 2019-20 were released without a fixed address.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
We recognise that it is vital that everyone leaving prison has somewhere safe and secure to live as a platform to access the services and support needed to stop the cycle of reoffending.
Data on the accommodation status of prisoners released from each prison between 2019 and 2020 is not yet available but is due for publication on 30 July 2020.
The Government has now decided that because of public health and public protection considerations, there is a need to provide accommodation for prison leavers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Justice has secured appropriate funding for a time-limited period to support the provision of accommodation for all individuals released from prison during this period, who are at risk of homelessness. The temporary accommodation scheme will run until 26th June at which point it will be reviewed, taking account of the situation at that time. This is an exceptional measure reflecting the current challenges. Additionally, we are also working in collaboration with other Government Departments and interested parties to help to secure a range of accommodation options for prisoners on their release.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his timescale is for the (a) completion and (b) publication of the review of the criminal justice response to rape and serious assault cases.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government recognises that the decline in the number of rape and serious sexual offences being charged and prosecuted in England and Wales is a cause for concern, and we are determined to do everything we can to ensure these appalling crimes are tackled effectively and victims are supported.
A review of the criminal justice response to rape and serious sexual offences was commissioned in March 2019 by the National Criminal Justice Board (CJB). A sub-group of the CJB is driving forward the review and continues to gather and analyse detailed views from key groups and agencies across the Criminal Justice System to enable us to better understand how the system’s response to rape cases can be improved. The sub-group met in April 2019, June 2019, October 2019 and March 2020.
The review was due to report its findings to the Criminal Justice Board in Spring 2020, however due in particular to the impact of COVID-19 on the Criminal Justice System, this has been delayed. The Government remains committed to the review and further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times the Criminal Justice Board has met to discuss the review of the criminal justice response to rape and serious sexual offence cases since 6 March 2019.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government recognises that the decline in the number of rape and serious sexual offences being charged and prosecuted in England and Wales is a cause for concern, and we are determined to do everything we can to ensure these appalling crimes are tackled effectively and victims are supported.
A review of the criminal justice response to rape and serious sexual offences was commissioned in March 2019 by the National Criminal Justice Board (CJB). A sub-group of the CJB is driving forward the review and continues to gather and analyse detailed views from key groups and agencies across the Criminal Justice System to enable us to better understand how the system’s response to rape cases can be improved. The sub-group met in April 2019, June 2019, October 2019 and March 2020.
The review was due to report its findings to the Criminal Justice Board in Spring 2020, however due in particular to the impact of COVID-19 on the Criminal Justice System, this has been delayed. The Government remains committed to the review and further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service are taking to ensure that (a) telephone and video hearings are accessible to all disabled participants, (b) disabled defendants can understand and effectively participate in legal proceedings against them, and (c) disabled defendants have accessible guidance on their participation rights in such hearings.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
In response to the current pandemic HMCTS have increased the capacity for telephone and video hearings so that hearings can take place remotely where appropriate. We are clear that audio and video hearings provide an additional channel for conducting a hearing and should be as accessible as possible. However, they may not be suitable for everyone. The decision to hold a hearing by telephone or video is for the judge, panel or magistrate, taking into account the needs of the parties, including any disability or difficulties with access.
We ask participants to tell the court or tribunal if they need support or cannot participate effectively in the telephone or video hearing. The judiciary can then determine how to proceed, and whether to change the method of the hearing or put in place reasonable adjustments or alternative arrangements to ensure disabled users can participate.
We are working with the advice sector to fully understand the impacts on vulnerable people, reasonable adjustments, and reflecting up to date advice from the sector in our processes for court users to join hearings and related staff guidance. We have improved our GOV.UK content which includes easy read guidance to understand legal terms used in court hearings and support for defendants charged with a crime. We have set up a technical support phone line for remote hearings and included additional information in hearing notices.