Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jack Lopresti and Robert Buckland

Tuesday 3rd November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Robert Buckland]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to talk about the potential impact and the shock that can be caused to members of the public if people who are known to be in custody are communicating and using social media, and prisoners who break the rules should face consequences. The internal adjudication system allows the removal of privileges, stoppage of earnings and confinement to cell, and more serious breaches can be referred to the independent adjudicator, but some crimes committed in prison are clearly so serious that governors will continue to refer those matters to the police.

[Jack Lopresti]

Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that prison education in itself is crucial to reducing reoffending?

[Robert Buckland]

My hon. Friend makes an important point, because the evidence is that the completion of any prison education reduces reoffending by 7.5%. We plan to strengthen rehabilitation further by creating a prisoner education service that will be focused on work-based training and skills. The Prison Service’s new future network is doing great work to build partnerships between prisons and employers to ensure that prisoners are job ready on release.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jack Lopresti and Robert Buckland

Tuesday 8th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Robert Buckland]

What I will say is that we are working on a housing repossession pilot. We are investing £5 million in early intervention services. I take a great interest in the work of law centres, and I want to do more to help them.

[Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke) (Con)]

What plans does my right hon. and learned Friend’s Department have to help to facilitate careers for people who want to join the Ministry of Justice who have served in the military or the armed forces, so that it can help to communicate and facilitate their transition back into civilian life?

[Robert Buckland]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point about the role of the armed forces. They have a huge offer to make, and I will talk to him further about those points.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jack Lopresti and Robert Buckland

Thursday 25th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke) (Con)]

11. What steps he plans to take to improve the level of public understanding of the legal framework applicable to social media.

[The Solicitor General (Robert Buckland)]

There is clearly some awareness of the legal framework applicable to social media, but I publish warnings online reminding people of their responsibilities wherever appropriate. My office also sends tweets warning social media users of the risk of being in contempt, where a particular problem has been identified. I assure my hon. Friend that I am always looking at ways of raising awareness in this area.

[Jack Lopresti]

Can my hon. and learned Friend explain what steps are being taken to prevent media coverage of ongoing cases?

[The Solicitor General]

The media quite properly play a role in reporting cases, but any lack of responsibility allows my office and, indeed, criminal law to intervene, particularly in respect of the Contempt of Court Act 1981. Detailed guidelines on the prosecution of such cases are available on the CPS website.