Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will provide a list of (a) professional staff networks and (b) social clubs operating within his Department; and if he will provide the (i) budgets and (ii) FTE staff time allocated to each group within each of the last three years.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Provide a list of (a) professional staff networks operating within his Department
MoJ corporate information pages about Equality and Diversity Equality and diversity - Ministry of Justice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) provide details of most of the MoJ professional staff networks, offering support and advice to employees and senior leadership, which cover race, disability, gender, LGBTQI, faith, carers, job sharers, menopause, EU nationals, and parents. MoJ faith and belief networks include Christianity, Islam and Humanism. There is also a frontline staff network.
MoJ also has communities of staff taking on advocacy and support roles including Race Ambassadors, a forum for those experiencing domestic violence, Bullying and Harassment Advisors, Mental Health Allies, a Green Group and People Champions.
The larger MoJ Agencies including HMCTS, HMPPS, LAA and OPG have local subsidiaries of the main MoJ wide networks and staff communities.
Provide a list of (b) social clubs operating within MoJ
There is currently one recognised Social Club, JURA - the Justice Recreation Association - JURA Justice, that is open to all MoJ Staff, Agencies and ALBs. Members pay a subscription and is run by a team of volunteers.
Provide the (i) budgets allocated to each group within each of the last three years.
For cross MoJ staff networks, a notional, collective budget was accessible:
Provide (ii) FTE staff time allocated to each group within each of the last three years.
As part of our central MoJ Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing department, FTE 37.5 hours per week central support is provided to build the capability of our MoJ Staff Networks. Since 2020, MoJ Staff Network Chair Holders are permitted 8 hours per week allocated time in recognition of the work spent supporting networks as a corporate contribution. Where there is more than one chair, this time is allocated between them. Our agencies have adapted the same or similar approach.
Staff allocated time for agency networks is largely in line apart from within HMPPS where the staff network leads are full-time roles FTE 37.5 hours a week.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding for the HM Courts and Tribunals Service to tackle court (a) under-occupancy and (b) case backlogs.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Sitting days are kept under close review to ensure changes in demand are met by the court system. In November, we allocated an extra 700 days to the Crown Court for this financial year in response to an increase in the number of cases coming to court.
Sitting days are monitored and assigned based on the number of cases we expect the courts to receive annually. This approach has enabled us to reduce the number of outstanding cases in the Crown Court in England and Wales by almost 40% since 2014.
We are also considering options for a Royal Commission on the criminal justice process, which could deliver a fundamental review of some of the key issues which are affecting the system now, or may do in the future.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he is putting in place to ensure the adequate use of Crown courtroom capacity.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Sitting days are kept under close review to ensure changes in demand are met by the court system. In November, we allocated an extra 700 days to the Crown Court for this financial year in response to an increase in the number of cases coming to court.
Sitting days are monitored and assigned based on the number of cases we expect the courts to receive annually. This approach has enabled us to reduce the number of outstanding cases in the Crown Court in England and Wales by almost 40% since 2014.
We are also considering options for a Royal Commission on the criminal justice process, which could deliver a fundamental review of some of the key issues which are affecting the system now, or may do in the future.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to increase the number of court sitting days so that more Crown court cases can be heard; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Sitting days are kept under close review to ensure changes in demand are met by the court system. In November, we allocated an extra 700 days to the Crown Court for this financial year in response to an increase in the number of cases coming to court.
Sitting days are monitored and assigned based on the number of cases we expect the courts to receive annually. This approach has enabled us to reduce the number of outstanding cases in the Crown Court in England and Wales by almost 40% since 2014.
We are also considering options for a Royal Commission on the criminal justice process, which could deliver a fundamental review of some of the key issues which are affecting the system now, or may do in the future.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing Crown courtroom availability; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking a review of criminal justice system resources.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Sitting days are kept under close review to ensure changes in demand are met by the court system. In November, we allocated an extra 700 days to the Crown Court for this financial year in response to an increase in the number of cases coming to court.
Sitting days are monitored and assigned based on the number of cases we expect the courts to receive annually. This approach has enabled us to reduce the number of outstanding cases in the Crown Court in England and Wales by almost 40% since 2014.
We are also considering options for a Royal Commission on the criminal justice process, which could deliver a fundamental review of some of the key issues which are affecting the system now, or may do in the future.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve courtroom availability through court estate restoration and renewal.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
HM Courts & Tribunals Service seeks to make sure that the court and tribunal estate is in the best possible condition to provide appropriate court and hearing room facilities.
Since the commencement of the Reform Programme, we have spent over £167m on capital projects investing in our buildings. This has delivered significant improvements, including replacing heating and cooling systems, lifts, roofs and windows.
We have also re-procured our facilities management contracts from April this year, which will allow us to improve the way our buildings are maintained day to day. Under the new arrangements, facilities management work will be more user focused with new objectives based on previous customer experiences. Repair and improvement works will also be more efficient, with response times that match industry standards.