Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Green and Stephen Phillips

Tuesday 12th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Phillips (Sleaford and North Hykeham) (Con)]

T4. My right hon. Friend will be aware that there has previously been considerable disquiet within the country over the effectiveness of community penalties, in both marking the gravity of offences and ensuring the effective rehabilitation of offenders. I know that he is alive to those concerns, but I would be grateful if he told the House what steps he is taking to ensure they are met.

[Damian Green]

I entirely share my hon. and learned Friend’s concerns about public confidence in community sentencing, which is precisely why we have changed the system so that in the future every community order must contain a punitive element. Indeed, the Offender Rehabilitation Bill creates a new flexible rehabilitation activity requirement to aid the rehabilitation of offenders while they are doing some community activity.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Green and Stephen Phillips

Monday 10th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Damian Green]

I agree completely with my hon. Friend. I commend her and the rest of the Select Committee on the report that they produced today. She is right that one improvement, which needs to be extended, is in the capacity of the police to investigate and of prosecutors successfully to prosecute those who commit these disgusting crimes. A number of trials around the country have led to multiple convictions and I know that many more such cases are in the pipeline. I hope that sends a clear signal that this crime is absolutely unacceptable and that the police are getting better at rooting out those who commit it.

[Stephen Phillips (Sleaford and North Hykeham) (Con)]

16. What plans she has to speed up the deportation of those refused asylum in the UK.