Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether HMP Berwyn is operating at its full capacity.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
As at 25 November 2022, Berwyn was operating at very near full capacity. Exact figures are published on a monthly basis and can be found via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-population-figures-2022.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when HMP Five Wells will be contractually required to be able to hold its full planned number of prisoners.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We are working closely with G4S, in accordance with the terms of the contract, to achieve full operational capacity as early as possible.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects HMP Five Wells to be able to hold offenders to its designed capacity.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We are working closely with G4S, in accordance with the terms of the contract, to achieve full operational capacity as early as possible.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 94773 on Prison Education Review, how his Department monitors value for money of courses contracted under the Dynamic Purchasing System.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to enable governors to commission innovative, local projects that meet the needs of their prisoners. The budget for the DPS in 2022-23 is £21.8 million. Allocation of the education budget is based on Prisoner population and the role of the individual prison. Governors have authority to move education funds between the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and the DPS pots on an annual basis, up to 5 per cent of the PEF contract value. The overall spend this financial year to date is £11.3 million, against the year-to-date budget of £12.6 million.
As these services involve local spending plans and courses commissioned, we do not keep central records of what each prison commissions, and it would not be possible to obtain the information requested on a prison-by-prison basis without approaching each prison individually, which would incur disproportionate cost.
95 suppliers are currently delivering DPS services, which include: Catering & Hospitality; Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management; Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; Retail & Commercial Enterprise; Health & Public Services and Care; Business, Leadership, Administration and Law; Arts, Media and Publishing; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care; Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology (additional to the core curriculum); Life Skills; Services to support individuals with additional learning needs; Resettlement; Preparation for Work, Careers Information Advice and Guidance.
The success and value for money of local commissioning is evaluated at local level, with support from the central contract management team. For larger DPS contracts, additional assurance processes are put in place by the contract management team. In addition to the contract management process, DPS provision is subject to OFSTED scrutiny, as are PEF and Prison Education provision.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 94773 on Prison Education Review, what proportion of the budget of the Dynamic Purchasing System was spent in each prison in the most recent accounting period.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to enable governors to commission innovative, local projects that meet the needs of their prisoners. The budget for the DPS in 2022-23 is £21.8 million. Allocation of the education budget is based on Prisoner population and the role of the individual prison. Governors have authority to move education funds between the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and the DPS pots on an annual basis, up to 5 per cent of the PEF contract value. The overall spend this financial year to date is £11.3 million, against the year-to-date budget of £12.6 million.
As these services involve local spending plans and courses commissioned, we do not keep central records of what each prison commissions, and it would not be possible to obtain the information requested on a prison-by-prison basis without approaching each prison individually, which would incur disproportionate cost.
95 suppliers are currently delivering DPS services, which include: Catering & Hospitality; Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management; Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; Retail & Commercial Enterprise; Health & Public Services and Care; Business, Leadership, Administration and Law; Arts, Media and Publishing; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care; Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology (additional to the core curriculum); Life Skills; Services to support individuals with additional learning needs; Resettlement; Preparation for Work, Careers Information Advice and Guidance.
The success and value for money of local commissioning is evaluated at local level, with support from the central contract management team. For larger DPS contracts, additional assurance processes are put in place by the contract management team. In addition to the contract management process, DPS provision is subject to OFSTED scrutiny, as are PEF and Prison Education provision.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 94773 on Prison Education Review, how the budget of the Dynamic Purchasing System is determined for each prison.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to enable governors to commission innovative, local projects that meet the needs of their prisoners. The budget for the DPS in 2022-23 is £21.8 million. Allocation of the education budget is based on Prisoner population and the role of the individual prison. Governors have authority to move education funds between the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and the DPS pots on an annual basis, up to 5 per cent of the PEF contract value. The overall spend this financial year to date is £11.3 million, against the year-to-date budget of £12.6 million.
As these services involve local spending plans and courses commissioned, we do not keep central records of what each prison commissions, and it would not be possible to obtain the information requested on a prison-by-prison basis without approaching each prison individually, which would incur disproportionate cost.
95 suppliers are currently delivering DPS services, which include: Catering & Hospitality; Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management; Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; Retail & Commercial Enterprise; Health & Public Services and Care; Business, Leadership, Administration and Law; Arts, Media and Publishing; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care; Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology (additional to the core curriculum); Life Skills; Services to support individuals with additional learning needs; Resettlement; Preparation for Work, Careers Information Advice and Guidance.
The success and value for money of local commissioning is evaluated at local level, with support from the central contract management team. For larger DPS contracts, additional assurance processes are put in place by the contract management team. In addition to the contract management process, DPS provision is subject to OFSTED scrutiny, as are PEF and Prison Education provision.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2022 to Question 94773 on Prison Education Review, what the budget of the Dynamic Purchasing System is for each prison.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to enable governors to commission innovative, local projects that meet the needs of their prisoners. The budget for the DPS in 2022-23 is £21.8 million. Allocation of the education budget is based on Prisoner population and the role of the individual prison. Governors have authority to move education funds between the Prison Education Framework (PEF) and the DPS pots on an annual basis, up to 5 per cent of the PEF contract value. The overall spend this financial year to date is £11.3 million, against the year-to-date budget of £12.6 million.
As these services involve local spending plans and courses commissioned, we do not keep central records of what each prison commissions, and it would not be possible to obtain the information requested on a prison-by-prison basis without approaching each prison individually, which would incur disproportionate cost.
95 suppliers are currently delivering DPS services, which include: Catering & Hospitality; Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management; Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies; Retail & Commercial Enterprise; Health & Public Services and Care; Business, Leadership, Administration and Law; Arts, Media and Publishing; Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care; Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology (additional to the core curriculum); Life Skills; Services to support individuals with additional learning needs; Resettlement; Preparation for Work, Careers Information Advice and Guidance.
The success and value for money of local commissioning is evaluated at local level, with support from the central contract management team. For larger DPS contracts, additional assurance processes are put in place by the contract management team. In addition to the contract management process, DPS provision is subject to OFSTED scrutiny, as are PEF and Prison Education provision.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people that would be eligible to make new Criminal Injuries Claims if the general two-year time limitation for was extended to (a) three, (b) four, (c) five and (d) over five years.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to ensuring every victim gets the compensation to which they are entitled, which is part of the wider package of general and specialist support available to victims of crime. The government-funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the Scheme) exists to compensate for serious physical or psychological injury attributable to being a direct victim of a crime of violence.
Under the 2012 Scheme there is a general time limit of two years from the date of the incident giving rise to an injury to apply for compensation under the Scheme. In the 2012 Scheme we introduced separate provisions for applicants who were aged under 18 years at the time they sustained the injury that is the subject of their claim. In these circumstances, if the incident was reported to the police before the applicant reached 18, an application must be made before their 20th birthday. If the incident was reported after their 18th birthday, an application must be made within two years of the date it was first reported. Additionally, the claims officer must be able to determine the case on the evidence provided without further extensive enquiries. In all cases where a claim is made outside of the applicable time limit they can be considered in exceptional circumstances and where claims officers can determine the case on the evidence provided without further extensive enquiries.
Our recent review of whether the Scheme could be simpler and more accessible for victims of violent crime, considered how the time limits are working. Our 2020 consultation set out our findings that the current rules appeared to allow sufficient opportunity for the majority of victims to make a claim for compensation. The consultation included analysis of a three-year caseload data set which showed that the proportion of claims refused on the grounds of being “out of time” was small compared to refusals on other grounds, and that the exceptional circumstances discretion was working well. 18% of personal injury cases were submitted outside the two-year time limit, and of these 63% went on to receive an award. Data demonstrated that of all rejected personal injury cases, only 4% (approximately 1,700 cases over the three year period) were rejected for being outside the two-year time limit.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (the Inquiry) published its final report on 20 October 2022. We are considering carefully one of the concluding recommendations to extend the time limit for victims of child sexual abuse to seven years.
Our conclusion to the Scheme review and response to the Inquiry’s report will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the two-year time limitation for Criminal Injuries Claims for providing financial redress for victims of historical crimes.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to ensuring every victim gets the compensation to which they are entitled, which is part of the wider package of general and specialist support available to victims of crime. The government-funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the Scheme) exists to compensate for serious physical or psychological injury attributable to being a direct victim of a crime of violence.
Under the 2012 Scheme there is a general time limit of two years from the date of the incident giving rise to an injury to apply for compensation under the Scheme. In the 2012 Scheme we introduced separate provisions for applicants who were aged under 18 years at the time they sustained the injury that is the subject of their claim. In these circumstances, if the incident was reported to the police before the applicant reached 18, an application must be made before their 20th birthday. If the incident was reported after their 18th birthday, an application must be made within two years of the date it was first reported. Additionally, the claims officer must be able to determine the case on the evidence provided without further extensive enquiries. In all cases where a claim is made outside of the applicable time limit they can be considered in exceptional circumstances and where claims officers can determine the case on the evidence provided without further extensive enquiries.
Our recent review of whether the Scheme could be simpler and more accessible for victims of violent crime, considered how the time limits are working. Our 2020 consultation set out our findings that the current rules appeared to allow sufficient opportunity for the majority of victims to make a claim for compensation. The consultation included analysis of a three-year caseload data set which showed that the proportion of claims refused on the grounds of being “out of time” was small compared to refusals on other grounds, and that the exceptional circumstances discretion was working well. 18% of personal injury cases were submitted outside the two-year time limit, and of these 63% went on to receive an award. Data demonstrated that of all rejected personal injury cases, only 4% (approximately 1,700 cases over the three year period) were rejected for being outside the two-year time limit.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (the Inquiry) published its final report on 20 October 2022. We are considering carefully one of the concluding recommendations to extend the time limit for victims of child sexual abuse to seven years.
Our conclusion to the Scheme review and response to the Inquiry’s report will be shared in due course.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is taking steps with the (a) Police and (b) Crown Prosecution Service to raise awareness of Criminal Injuries Claims in those eligible to make such claims.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, victims are entitled to be told about how to claim compensation for any loss, damage or injury caused as a result of crime. Victims injured by violent crime are also entitled to be told by the police how to apply for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (the Scheme).
The draft Victims Bill will send a clear signal about what victims can and should expect from the criminal justice system and includes measures to increase oversight of delivery of services to victims by criminal justice agencies including the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, which administers the Scheme, also provides awareness sessions to stakeholders, including the police, who deliver frontline services to victims of violent crime.