Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Renationalise the NHS, scrap integrated care systems, and end PFI contracts
Gov Responded - 23 Dec 2021 Debated on - 31 Jan 2022 View Richard Burgon's petition debate contributionsWe demand the Government restore England’s publicly funded, publicly provided NHS by reversing all privatising legislation, ending ongoing PFI contracts, and scrapping plans for Integrated Care Systems and for-profit US-style ‘managed care’.
These initiatives were driven by Richard Burgon, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Richard Burgon has not been granted any Urgent Questions
A Bill to prohibit the sale of arms to Israel and the purchase of arms from Israel; to make associated provision about an inquiry in relation to Israel into the end use of arms sold from the UK or authorised for sale by the UK Government; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to require the Leader of the House of Commons to move a Motion prohibiting Members of Parliament having paid second jobs; and for connected purposes.
Richard Burgon has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The forthcoming Elections Bill will have a package of measures to tackle different types of electoral fraud – including personation in polling stations, postal voting personation and interference, proxy voting fraud, intimidation and undue influence.
Voter fraud is a crime that we cannot allow room for, so the Government is stamping out any potential for it to take place in elections, in line with our manifesto pledge.
The Electoral Commission publishes electoral fraud data on its website: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/our-research/electoral-fraud-data.
Personation in polling stations is very difficult to identify and prove: by definition, it is a crime of deception. The 2015 Tower Hamlets election court judgment found that personation was one of the interlinked types of corrupt and illegal practices that took place.
By contrast, as the Electoral Commission has previously noted: ‘Since the introduction of photo ID in Northern Ireland there have been no reported cases of personation. Voters’ confidence that elections are well-run in Northern Ireland is consistently higher than in Great Britain, and there are virtually no allegations of electoral fraud at polling stations’ (December 2015).
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.
We will publish the Net Zero Strategy ahead of COP26. We will build on my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan and the Energy White Paper, as well as upcoming plans in key sectors such as the Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Heat and Buildings Strategy.
The UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution is ambitious and demonstrates our continued leadership in tackling climate change. Our Net Zero Strategy will be a comprehensive plan for decarbonising sectors across the economy, both to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and meet our interim targets, making the most of new growth and employment opportunities across the UK.
We are building on the strong foundations we have established in decarbonising our economy; our ambitious manifesto commitments; and announcements from the Prime Minister and my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer of measures to cut emissions as we build back better in our economic recovery from COVID-19.
The Government is clear that employers must comply with National Minimum Wage legislation and pay their workers at least the minimum wage for hours worked.
The Government is committed to ensuring workers receive the pay that they are owed, more than doubling the budget for National Minimum Wage enforcement. Indeed, last year was another strong year for minimum wage enforcement, with £20.8 million in pay arrears identified for over 263,000 workers.
The Government will continue to support workers across the United Kingdom during this pandemic. Through our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, we have supported 9.6 million jobs with claims worth £41.4 million. On August 31st, 4,000 jobs in Leeds East, 35,700 jobs In Leeds and 220,000 jobs in Yorkshire and the Humber were supported through the Job Retention Scheme. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that we will extend the scheme through to 31st March 2021, to continue to protect jobs and provide certainty.
The National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) ensure that the lowest paid workers are fairly rewarded for their valuable contribution to the economy. Since 2010, the minimum wage rates have increased faster than average wages and inflation, meaning more money for the lowest paid.
This April, we increased the NLW to £8.72, meeting its target to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020, benefiting an estimated 2 million workers. A full-time worker on the NLW will be £930 better off, over the course of the year.
As well as increasing the NLW, the Government has announced an unprecedented series of measures to support businesses and their employees to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. This includes over £6.5 billion of extra support through the welfare system. The Government is continuously monitoring the evolving economic and labour market situation to identify the most effective ways to help people stay in or close to work both now and in the future. Data on the number of people earning the minimum wage who are living in poverty since 1 March 2020 is not currently available.
Overall, for the Discretionary Business Grants Fund we have estimated some 400,000 businesses as potentially in-scope. The National Market Traders Federation estimates that there are 32,400 market traders; we have estimated that 80% do not pay business rates. 93,247 charity properties are in receipt of charitable rates relief. The Bed & Breakfast Association estimates that 5-10,000 Bed and Breakfast pay Council Tax rather than business rates. The numbers of business in shared work spaces, who are not liable for business rates is not fully known and makes up the remainder.
Government has made £12.3 billion available to businesses under the Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund. The schemes have been tied to the business rates system to provide a framework for local authorities to make payments to businesses as quickly as possible as these businesses are likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents.
As of 3 May, over 697,000 businesses in England have received grants under the two schemes, totalling £8.6bn. We do not hold data on the number of businesses that are not eligible for this grant funding. We have, however, published a full breakdown of grant funding allocated to and distributed by each local authority here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-localauthority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses.
On 1 May, the Business Secretary announced a further up to £617 million available to local authorities to support small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funding, such as businesses in shared offices and regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment. For more details, please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-up-to-local-business-grant-funds-scheme.
Government has made £12.3 billion available to businesses under the Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund. The schemes have been tied to the business rates system to provide a framework for local authorities to make payments to businesses as quickly as possible as these businesses are likely to face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents.
As of 3 May, over 697,000 businesses in England have received grants under the two schemes, totalling £8.6bn. We do not hold data on the value of Small Business rate relief of businesses that are not eligible for this grant funding. We have, however, published a full breakdown of grant funding allocated to and distributed by each local authority here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-grant-funding-localauthority-payments-to-small-and-medium-businesses.
On 1 May, the Business Secretary announced a further up to £617 million available to local authorities to support small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funding, such as businesses in shared offices and regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment. For more details, please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-up-to-local-business-grant-funds-scheme.
The health and safety of construction workers is a priority for the Government. In order to help ensure that it is safe for construction workers to operate in their workplace, the Government has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to develop sector-specific guidance on social distancing, and has also worked with the Construction Leadership Council to develop Site Operating Procedures (SOP), which provide practical advice to those seeking to implement the guidance.
The SOP set out that sites should consider introducing staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact, and plan site access and egress points to enable social distancing. The Health and Safety Executive should consider enforcement action if a site is not consistently implementing the measures set out by PHE.
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has developed Site Operating Procedures (SOP), which align with Public Health England (PHE) guidance on social distancing. The SOP provide practical advice to those seeking to implement the guidance on construction sites.
Following consultation with the industry, the CLC has updated the SOP to align with the latest PHE guidance and provide more detailed advice on safe working. This approach is based on the Health and Safety Executive Hierarchy of Controls for work planning to mitigate risks.
The health and safety of construction workers is a priority for the Government. In order to help ensure that it is safe for construction workers to operate in their workplace, the Government has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to develop sector-specific guidance on social distancing, and has also worked with the Construction Leadership Council to develop Site Operating Procedures (SOP), which provide practical advice to those seeking to implement the guidance.
The SOP set out that sites should consider introducing staggered start and finish times to reduce congestion and contact, and plan site access and egress points to enable social distancing. The Health and Safety Executive should consider enforcement action if a site is not consistently implementing the measures set out by PHE.
The draft Online Safety Bill will make companies more accountable for protecting people online, with all platforms having to identify and remove content that encourages suicide.
They will also have to ensure children are prevented from accessing material which promotes suicide or self-harm.
If platforms fail in their duties under the Bill, they will face tough enforcement action including fines of up to 10% of global annual qualifying turnover.
On 20 January 2020, the department launched a new scheme which makes free period products available for state-funded primary schools, secondary schools, and colleges in England. In December 2020, we announced that this scheme was extended for 2021.
This scheme is in place to ensure that no learner misses out on education due to their period. Schools and colleges should have period products available, should learners need them. They may choose to order products through this scheme or through an alternative route.
The scheme has remained in operation during partial school and college closures, and these organisations are still able to order a range of period products and distribute them to learners who need them.
We continue to work with our delivery partner, Personnel Hygiene Services Limited, to encourage engagement with the scheme. We have engaged with schools and colleges on social media, and via direct communication in email and newsletter form.
In 2016, the government announced investments in several children’s health initiatives alongside the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, including doubling the primary sports premium to £320 million a year from September 2017, and introducing the National Schools Breakfast Programme from March 2018.
The Spending Review 2020 has now concluded and confirmed the Department for Education’s overall budget for the 2021/22 financial year. In due course, the department will confirm how much funding from within that settlement has been allocated to these schools programmes for 2021/22.
The Government wants to do everything it can to support schools to deliver remote education. The Department has invested over £195 million to support remote education and access to online social care, delivering over 220,000 laptops and tablets during the summer term for disadvantaged children who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.
The Department is adding to this support by making over 340,000 additional laptops and tablets available to support children that might face disruption to their education. Since September 2020, over 100,000 of these have been delivered to schools.
The Department allocated a number of devices to each school based on how many devices they would need if the school closed fully. To arrive at this allocation, the Department used data on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals in each school along with an estimate of the number of devices the school already owns.
Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, and are instead supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this, because original allocations were based on a school’s total need should they fully close.
This more targeted approach to allocations mean as many schools and disadvantaged children as possible benefit from receiving a device in the event that their face-to-face education is disrupted.
The Government wants to do everything it can to support schools to deliver remote education. The Department has invested over £195 million to support remote education and access to online social care, delivering over 220,000 laptops and tablets during the summer term for disadvantaged children who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.
The Department is adding to this support by making over 340,000 additional laptops and tablets available to support children that might face disruption to their education. Since September 2020, over 100,000 of these have been delivered to schools.
The Department allocated a number of devices to each school based on how many devices they would need if the school closed fully. To arrive at this allocation, the Department used data on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals in each school along with an estimate of the number of devices the school already owns.
Attendance data suggests most schools are not closing fully, and are instead supporting small groups of children that are not able to attend school because they are self-isolating. The Department changed the number of devices allocated to each school to reflect this, because original allocations were based on a school’s total need should they fully close.
This more targeted approach to allocations mean as many schools and disadvantaged children as possible benefit from receiving a device in the event that their face-to-face education is disrupted.
The Department is providing laptops and tablets to support disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examination in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver.
The Department has allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. The Department estimated there were up to 220,000 eligible children without access to a device. These estimates were based on the proportion of children in receipt of Free School Meals, an estimate of private devices ownership and an estimate of existing devices held by schools which could be loaned out to meet the needs of these children.
The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G routers.
The Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and disadvantaged children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we are also providing 4G routers.
Local authorities and academy trusts are best place to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The Department is agreeing the number of devices allocated to each local authority and academy trust based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device.
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.
Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.
On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.
Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.
On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.
Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.
On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
Around 1.3 million children are eligible for and claiming benefits-related free school meals. During this period, we are asking schools to support these children by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children, and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We are monitoring the use of the scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme, and as of 4 May, Edenred reported that more than £47 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme. We do not hold the specific data requested for the scheme at a local or regional level.
Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.
On 4 May, Edenred reported that on the previous day, the average wait time for families and schools accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes was under 30 minutes. Edenred are aiming to respond to all email queries within 2 working days. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while Edenred upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
The Department has considered the needs of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and will ensure they get the support they need. To make remote education accessible to pupils while schools are closed, the Department is providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receiving support from a social worker, including pre-school children, or are a care leaver.
Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in Year 10 do not have internet connections, we will be providing 4G internet hotspots so that they can learn at home.
To support householders who face challenges accessing an internet connection, the Government has brokered an agreement with all the major telecoms companies aimed at protecting the most vulnerable, as well as those who may become vulnerable due to COVID-19.
The Government is also working with telecoms companies to exempt educational resources from data charges, supporting families who rely on mobile data.
For those in rural areas or without a connection, schools will be able to draw on support from the BBC which is broadcasting lessons on television. Some of the BBC educational content is offline, via the red button, which disadvantaged pupils without digital devices or connectivity will still be able to access.
Schools may also choose to draw on the many resources offers which have been made by publishers across the country. The Department has published an initial list of high-quality online educational resources, which have been identified by some of the country’s leading educational experts to help pupils to learn at home. The list is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources.
Comprehensive guidance has been issued and updated throughout the pandemic. Our priority is the safety of staff and passengers and our operators remain committed to ensuring their stations are safe for everyone.
Northern Trains Ltd (NTL) has received and confirms that it has followed Rail Delivery Group guidelines on the cleaning of its stations and has carried out a robust cleaning schedule since the outbreak.
In addition to routine cleaning regimes, NTL’s process is that all stations are treated at least once per week with a long-lasting broad spectrum; anti-bacterial; anti-viral, anti-fungal; and anti-algal cleaning product either by static cleaning staff or by mobile teams.
Once applied (by aerosol or by direct application) it bonds to surfaces and delivers persistent protection, even after regular washing and cleaning. The protective layer or “invisible shield” attracts and kills organisms mechanically, removing the risk of cross contamination, resistance or mutation.
The teams target high-touch areas like ticket vending machines. NTL has also worked with its services contractor, ISS, to recruit and train additional staff and provide additional transportation to facilitate this heightened cleaning regime
Engaging on health and safety matters at Leeds station is the responsibility of employers and service providers amongst others on the site as well as the station operator, Network Rail. Northern Trains Ltd has similar responsibilities as employer and operator of its own managed stations.
The Department does not hold specific information on rail operator employees.
The Government is committed to transforming the lives of disabled people, and will publish the National Strategy for Disabled People this year.
It will be informed by insights from the lived experience of disabled people, and will focus on the issues that disabled people say are most important across all aspects of life, from transport to education, and housing to employment. On Friday 15th January, we launched the online UK Disability Survey, which complements the range of engagement already undertaken and ongoing, including lived experience research with disabled people, discussions with the Disabled Charities Consortium, the Regional Stakeholder Networks and others. Contributions to the survey will feed not only into the development of the strategy but also its delivery.
Access to Work does not have any formal targets for elements of the journey as it offers a personalised service which involves regular contact with customers at the appropriate points throughout their application. Customers are provided with updates on the progress of their case, via their agreed method (letter, e-mail, text or phone). If there is any delay to their case customers will be updated via their communications with the nominated adviser, or through accessing information available on the inbound telephony line.
The available information on the number of new claims processed for housing benefit is published quarterly and is available at:
The latest statistics were published in April 2020 and provide data to December 2019.
New claims for Housing Benefit can only be made by people over pension age and working age people living in temporary or supported accommodation. Otherwise, if a working age person requires help with their housing costs they must claim Universal Credit.
No fines or other financial penalties have been paid by Serco or sub-contractors.
The Government has not yet confirmed a publication date for this data.
We are working closely with all 314 lower tier and unitary local authorities to collate information on how the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme is progressing, and will release information on the number of applications, number of successful applications and amounts paid out in due course.
We are working closely with all 314 local authorities in England to collate information on the number of applications and successful applications for the Test and Trace Support Payment. We will publish this information in due course.
We are working closely with all 314 lower tier and unitary local authorities to collate information on how the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme is progressing and will release information on the number of applications, number of successful applications and amounts paid out in due course.
Public Health England publishes the daily number of laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in England from 6 February to present, at the following link:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/
The Venezuela Reconstruction Unit is a small (one Head, and three part-time members including an external consultant) team in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which was established in 2019 to coordinate the UK approach to the international response to the dire economic and humanitarian situation in Venezuela. The UK is committed to working with international partners to bring a peaceful end to the appalling crisis in Venezuela, and the Venezuela Reconstruction Unit is a reflection of that commitment.
The Unit has visited Venezuela in order to understand the challenges and determine how the UK might help. The UK Ambassador ensured the regime were aware of the visit and spoke publicly about the Unit and its staff. The Unit has had contact with Juan Guaidó, whom the UK recognises as constitutional interim President of Venezuela, his representative in London and other Venezuelans.
Forecasts for government revenues from oil and gas production are provided by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Their most recent published forecast, provided for Spring Statement 2022 on 23 March, is available on the OBR website at https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2022/.
Government revenues received from North Sea oil and gas operators between 1968 to 1969 and 2020 to 2021 are presented in Table 2 of HM Revenue & Custom’s (HMRC) “Statistics of government revenues from UK oil and gas production” publication, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/government-revenues-from-uk-oil-and-gas-production--2
Data for 2021 to 2022 onwards can be found in the “HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance contributions for the UK” tables, also available at
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk
Applications for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) opened on Monday 20 April. By midnight 17 May 2020, 986,000 employers had submitted claims to HMRC representing 8m furloughed employments and £11.1bn.
This is a new scheme and HMRC are currently working through the analysis they will be able to provide based on the data available. HMRC will make the timescales for publication and the types of data available in due course.
As of 1st May, Government has provided up to an additional £617m for Local Authorities in England to enable them to make grants payments to businesses in these circumstances.
This funding will be used by Local Authorities to create a Discretionary Grants Fund.
Local Authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for these funds. And businesses will need to apply to their Local Authority in order to receive grants – each LA will need time to create their own process.
However, it is our intention that the following businesses should be considered as a priority for these funds:
The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office and decisions regarding funding for Core Participants are for the Inquiry to make.
Under section 40 of the Inquiries Act 2005, the Inquiry Chair has the power to award reasonable amounts to cover expenses, including in respect of legal representation for those who give evidence to the Inquiry. This includes witnesses, as well as core participants.
More information can be found on the Inquiry’s website at: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/about-the-inquiry/#costs
The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office and so, decisions on the conduct of its investigations and hearings are for the Inquiry to make.
The Inquiry has sought the views of Core Participants and relevant parties on how it should conduct its evidence hearings. Following the completion of the November 2020 evidence hearings the Inquiry held a directions hearing in January 2021 which discussed arrangements for Phase 2 of Tranche 1 hearings that are scheduled to commence on 21st April 2021.
The outcome of this directions hearing was published in February by the Inquiry, detailing its provision of live audio and video streaming to the public and the rationale behind this. This can be found on the Inquiry website at: https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/20210205-directions-t1_p2_hearings.pdf
The issue was carefully considered in 2018 and it was decided that panel members would not be appointed at that time. A judicial review of the decision was subsequently refused. Sir John Mitting is an experienced High Court Judge and has the necessary expertise to deliver the Inquiry’s terms of reference.
The Inquiry’s Strategic Review of May 2018 set out the Chair’s views that the appointment of a panel to assist in Module three of the Inquiry’s investigations timetable would be useful, and any such appointment would be subject to consultation between the Inquiry Chair and Home Secretary.
The police and Security Service are operationally independent from the Home Office and decisions concerning their engagement with the Undercover Policing Inquiry are a matter for them. It would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment on or intervene in those organisations’ engagement with the Inquiry while it is ongoing.
The Home Office does not hold the information requested.
Data on the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued under the new emergency COVID-19 health regulations, are published by the NPCC on a fortnightly basis. Information on the reason for which a fine was issued is included however the level of detail requested is not available. The latest statistics can be found here: https://news.npcc.police.uk/resources/fixed-penalty-notices-issued-under-covid-29th-may-v1
Policing is a devolved matter and FPNs issued by Police Scotland and Police Service Northern Ireland are reported separately by the respective forces.
The Government does not collect information on the number of notices landlords issue to tenants indicating a desire to regain possession of their property.
Where a landlord serves a valid notice on Assured Shorthold Tenancy, the landlord can only lawfully regain possession by using the county court process unless the tenant chooses to vacate the property.
The Mortgage and Landlord Repossession Statistics record the number of claims for possession brought by landlords in the county court. The latest statistics (Figure 9) show the number of claims for possession issued on a weekly basis from the week commencing 3 February until the week commencing 23 March. The statistics are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mortgage-and-landlord-possession-statistics-january-to-march-2020.
The Government, along with the courts service, has delivered unprecedented support to protect tenants from eviction during the Coronavirus emergency. Emergency legislation is now in place so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict their tenants for at least a three-month period. The Master of the Rolls, with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor, also suspended?all ongoing and new housing possession cases for 90 days?from 27 March 2020. As a result of these measures, no tenant in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction during this time.
The Department does not routinely collect information on the value of rent arrears.
Emergency legislation is now in place so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict their tenants for at least a three-month period. The courts have also suspended housing possession proceedings. As a result of these measures, no tenant in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction during this time.
In addition, the Government has introduced an unprecedented financial support package to help renters continue to pay their living costs, including rent. This includes support for businesses to pay staff salaries, strengthening the welfare safety-net with a £7 billion boost to Universal Credit, and increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents in each area.
For renters who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments are also available. As announced at the spending round for 2020/21,?there is already £180 million in Discretionary Housing Payments for local authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housing costs in the private and social rented sectors.
Pregnancy data is collected and monitored locally by individual prisons to ensure the appropriate support can be provided to women in our care, whether women are on remand or sentenced.
I can confirm that an ad hoc data collection exercise was undertaken on the 28 January 2021 which indicates that the number of women known to be pregnant whilst on remand or serving a sentence in HMP Styal on 31 March 2020 and 30 June 2020 was fewer than three on each date. As the overall number is fewer than three and releasing the actual number would risk identification of individuals, it is not possible to give any more information about ethnicity, for the same reason.
On 31 July we published a summary report of our review of operational policy on pregnancy and women separated from children under 2. This includes an undertaking to extend the range of data we publish in relation to pregnant women in prison, and can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/905559/summary-report-of-review-of-policy-on-mbu.pdf.
We have already taken steps to increase our internal national data collection processes to support the policy review, and to enable us to plan for future publication.
Table 1 - Band 3-5 Prison Officers1, Joiners2,3 by quarter ending December 2018 to September 2020
Headcount
| Three months to: | |||||||
| 31-Dec-18 | 31-Mar-19 | 30-Jun-19 | 30-Sep-19 | 31-Dec-19 | 31-Mar-20 | 30-Jun-20 | 30-Sep-20 |
New Joiners |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band 3 Prison Officers on Fair and Sustainable terms | 1,165 | 771 | 499 | 757 | 449 | 591 | 807 | 361 |
All Other Band 3 to 5 Prison Officers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Total Band 3-5 Prison Officers | 1,166 | 773 | 502 | 771 | 453 | 591 | 808 | 363 |
Average number of staff in post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band 3 Prison Officers on Fair and Sustainable terms | 11,408 | 11,767 | 11,735 | 11,797 | 11,700 | 11,672 | 11,951 | 12,127 |
All Other Band 3 to 5 Prison Officers | 12,018 | 11,779 | 11,563 | 11,681 | 11,458 | 11,225 | 10,970 | 10,760 |
Total Band 3-5 Prison Officers | 23,425 | 23,546 | 23,298 | 23,477 | 23,157 | 22,897 | 22,921 | 22,886 |
New Joiners as a percentage of staff in post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band 3 prison officers on Fair and Sustainable terms | 10% | 7% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 5% | 7% | 3% |
All Other Band 3 to 5 Prison Officers | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Total Band 3-5 Prison Officers | 5% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 2% |
Table 2 - Band 3-5 Prison Officer1 Leavers2,3 by quarter ending December 2018 to September 2020
Headcount
| Three months to: | |||||||
| 31-Dec-18 | 31-Mar-19 | 30-Jun-19 | 30-Sep-19 | 31-Dec-19 | 31-Mar-20 | 30-Jun-20 | 30-Sep-20 |
Leavers Band 3 Prison Officers on Fair and Sustainable terms | 454 | 454 | 475 | 585 | 487 | 437 | 266 | 367 |
All Other Band 3 to 5 Prison Officers | 232 | 207 | 227 | 232 | 219 | 190 | 167 | 148 |
Total Band 3-5 Prison Officers | 686 | 661 | 702 | 817 | 706 | 627 | 433 | 515 |
Average number of staff in post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band 3 Prison Officers on Fair and Sustainable terms | 11,408 | 11,767 | 11,735 | 11,797 | 11,700 | 11,672 | 11,951 | 12,127 |
All Other Band 3 to 5 Prison Officers | 12,018 | 11,779 | 11,563 | 11,681 | 11,458 | 11,225 | 10,970 | 10,760 |
Total Band 3-5 Prison Officers | 23,425 | 23,546 | 23,298 | 23,477 | 23,157 | 22,897 | 22,921 | 22,886 |
Leavers as a percentage of staff in post |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band 3 prison officers on Fair and Sustainable terms | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 3% |
All Other Band 3 to 5 Prison Officers | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% |
Total Band 3-5 Prison Officers | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% |
Notes to Tables 1 and 2:
1. Includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officer (incl specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers. |
2. Movements due to machinery of Government changes or due to staff transferring to or from the private sector as a result of changes in the management of establishments are not included in these tables. Such movements are: |
On July 1, 2019, 468 FTE staff transferred back into HMPPS, as HMP Birmingham came back under public ownership. |
3. As with all HR databases, extracts are taken at a fixed point in time, to ensure consistency of reporting. However, the database itself is dynamic and where updates to the database are made late, subsequent to the taking of the extract, these updates will not be reflected in figures produced by the extract. For this reason, HR data are unlikely to be precisely accurate. We are working hard to retain staff with additional training to progress their careers, and significant investment to keep them safe. All staff have access to support, including 24/7 counselling, trauma support and occupational health assessments and we are professionalising the prison service with qualifications for new officers on completion of training. |
Table 1 - Number and proportion of Band 3 to 5 Prison Officer by Fair and Sustainable and Closed term and grades, as at 30 September 2020
| Headcount | Percentage | ||||
| F&S | Closed | Total | F&S | Closed | Total |
Band 5 / Custodial Managers | 1,696 | 56 | 1,752 | 97% | 3% | 100% |
Band 4 / Supervising Officer | 1,407 | 571 | 1,978 | 71% | 29% | 100% |
Band 4 /Prison Officer Specialists | 1,203 | 1 | 1,204 | 100% | 0% | 100% |
Band 3 /Prison Officer | 12,018 | 5,765 | 17,783 | 68% | 32% | 100% |
Total | 16,324 | 6,393 | 22,717 | 72% | 28% | 100% |
Staff are aware that they can report H&S concerns to their line managers, or a H&S qualified practitioner present at each establishment. The Ministry of Justice has whistle blowing procedures in place for employees who wish to raise any concerns, including the endangering of an individual’s health and safety. The current H&S reporting system also provides a reliable local and national reporting and recording tool that allows staff to voice their concerns and for H&S teams to monitor and take action where necessary. We therefore do not have any current plans to initiate a specific whistleblowing hotline or campaign.
All staff receive a full H&S induction upon commencement of their roles, which includes an introduction and explanation of the reporting and investigation process and local or notifications and contingencies are published by Governors advising staff of risks and to implement controls as necessary.
HMPPS operates both national and local health and safety committees across probation and custody in line with the legal requirements for consultation on health and safety matters and maintains active engagement with health and safety representatives. Such committees are held at least quarterly and attendance by staff and union representatives is actively encouraged. This is in addition to an extensive range of informal consultation and liaison both nationally and locally.
Staff are aware that they can report H&S concerns to their line managers, or a H&S qualified practitioner present at each establishment. The Ministry of Justice has whistle blowing procedures in place for employees who wish to raise any concerns, including the endangering of an individual’s health and safety. The current H&S reporting system also provides a reliable local and national reporting and recording tool that allows staff to voice their concerns and for H&S teams to monitor and take action where necessary. We therefore do not have any current plans to initiate a specific whistleblowing hotline or campaign.
All staff receive a full H&S induction upon commencement of their roles, which includes an introduction and explanation of the reporting and investigation process and local or notifications and contingencies are published by Governors advising staff of risks and to implement controls as necessary.
HMPPS operates both national and local health and safety committees across probation and custody in line with the legal requirements for consultation on health and safety matters and maintains active engagement with health and safety representatives. Such committees are held at least quarterly and attendance by staff and union representatives is actively encouraged. This is in addition to an extensive range of informal consultation and liaison both nationally and locally.
Staff are aware that they can report H&S concerns to their line managers, or a H&S qualified practitioner present at each establishment. The Ministry of Justice has whistle blowing procedures in place for employees who wish to raise any concerns, including the endangering of an individual’s health and safety. The current H&S reporting system also provides a reliable local and national reporting and recording tool that allows staff to voice their concerns and for H&S teams to monitor and take action where necessary. We therefore do not have any current plans to initiate a specific whistleblowing hotline or campaign.
All staff receive a full H&S induction upon commencement of their roles, which includes an introduction and explanation of the reporting and investigation process and local or notifications and contingencies are published by Governors advising staff of risks and to implement controls as necessary.
HMPPS operates both national and local health and safety committees across probation and custody in line with the legal requirements for consultation on health and safety matters and maintains active engagement with health and safety representatives. Such committees are held at least quarterly and attendance by staff and union representatives is actively encouraged. This is in addition to an extensive range of informal consultation and liaison both nationally and locally.
We continue to work collaboratively with all key prison education stakeholders, especially throughout the current pandemic period. The Exceptional Delivery Model for Education and Libraries is currently being developed in close consultation with all Prison Education Framework (PEF) providers to assist prisons in reinstating elements of their regimes in a safe and controlled way. This means that everyone working in prisons will have a very clear understanding of any risks and the appropriate mitigating measures.
Prisons have existing, well-developed policies and procedures in place to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases. These policies and procedures are being built upon in response to the specific risks posed by COVID-19 and we have put in place robust contingency plans, informed by Public Health authorities.
HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus. This has been communicated to all prison staff.
Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. All prisoners have access to soap and hot water for handwashing – not just in cells but also in other shared areas such as education blocks, kitchens, showers, workplace toilets and the gym.
All prison staff, including teaching staff, also have access to adequate handwashing facilities and we have worked closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials
We are looking at ways to increase front line staff availability so that we can minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes the possibility of pay and reward enhancements.
Prisons have existing, well-developed policies and procedures in place to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases. These policies and procedures are being built upon in response to the specific risks posed by COVID-19 and we have put in place robust contingency plans, informed by Public Health authorities.
HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus. This has been communicated to all prison staff.
Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. All prisoners have access to soap and hot water for handwashing – not just in cells but also in other shared areas such as education blocks, kitchens, showers, workplace toilets and the gym.
All prison staff, including teaching staff, also have access to adequate handwashing facilities and we have worked closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials
We are looking at ways to increase front line staff availability so that we can minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes the possibility of pay and reward enhancements.
Prisons have existing, well-developed policies and procedures in place to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases. These policies and procedures are being built upon in response to the specific risks posed by COVID-19 and we have put in place robust contingency plans, informed by Public Health authorities.
HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus. This has been communicated to all prison staff.
Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. All prisoners have access to soap and hot water for handwashing – not just in cells but also in other shared areas such as education blocks, kitchens, showers, workplace toilets and the gym.
All prison staff, including teaching staff, also have access to adequate handwashing facilities and we have worked closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials
We are looking at ways to increase front line staff availability so that we can minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes the possibility of pay and reward enhancements.
Prisons have existing, well-developed policies and procedures in place to manage outbreaks of infectious diseases. These policies and procedures are being built upon in response to the specific risks posed by COVID-19 and we have put in place robust contingency plans, informed by Public Health authorities.
HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus. This has been communicated to all prison staff.
Basic hygiene is a key part of tackling COVID-19. All prisoners have access to soap and hot water for handwashing – not just in cells but also in other shared areas such as education blocks, kitchens, showers, workplace toilets and the gym.
All prison staff, including teaching staff, also have access to adequate handwashing facilities and we have worked closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials
We are looking at ways to increase front line staff availability so that we can minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes the possibility of pay and reward enhancements.
HMPPS is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, based on the very latest scientific and medical advice. We are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care to manage the challenges we face.
The safety and wellbeing of staff, prisoners and visitors is paramount and at the heart of our approach.
We have robust contingency plans in place, which are informed by advice from Public Health authorities. Part of our contingency planning involves the ability to deploy staff flexibly. We are taking steps to boost staff availability so that we can look after prisoners properly and minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences.
We are not planning to release prisoners in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
HMPPS is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, based on the very latest scientific and medical advice. We are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care to manage the challenges we face.
The safety and wellbeing of staff, prisoners and visitors is paramount and at the heart of our approach.
We have robust contingency plans in place, which are informed by advice from Public Health authorities. Part of our contingency planning involves the ability to deploy staff flexibly. We are taking steps to boost staff availability so that we can look after prisoners properly and minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences.
We are not planning to release prisoners in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
HMPPS is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, based on the very latest scientific and medical advice. We are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care to manage the challenges we face.
The safety and wellbeing of staff, prisoners and visitors is paramount and at the heart of our approach.
We have robust contingency plans in place, which are informed by advice from Public Health authorities. Part of our contingency planning involves the ability to deploy staff flexibly. We are taking steps to boost staff availability so that we can look after prisoners properly and minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes, as and when required, operational staff currently working in headquarters being redeployed to prisons to support the service.
In line with broader clinical advice, HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus.
We are closely monitoring the number of prison officers, prisoners and others who are reported as self-isolating, are being tested for and have been diagnosed with COVID-19. We will publish COVID-19 management information once we have assured its robustness, in a fast-changing picture.
HMPPS is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, based on the very latest scientific and medical advice. We are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care to manage the challenges we face.
The safety and wellbeing of staff, prisoners and visitors is paramount and at the heart of our approach.
We have robust contingency plans in place, which are informed by advice from Public Health authorities. Part of our contingency planning involves the ability to deploy staff flexibly. We are taking steps to boost staff availability so that we can look after prisoners properly and minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes, as and when required, operational staff currently working in headquarters being redeployed to prisons to support the service.
In line with broader clinical advice, HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus.
We are closely monitoring the number of prison officers, prisoners and others who are reported as self-isolating, are being tested for and have been diagnosed with COVID-19. We will publish COVID-19 management information once we have assured its robustness, in a fast-changing picture.
HMPPS is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, based on the very latest scientific and medical advice. We are working closely with Public Health England, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care to manage the challenges we face.
The safety and wellbeing of staff, prisoners and visitors is paramount and at the heart of our approach.
We have robust contingency plans in place, which are informed by advice from Public Health authorities. Part of our contingency planning involves the ability to deploy staff flexibly. We are taking steps to boost staff availability so that we can look after prisoners properly and minimise the impacts on regimes of staff absences. This includes, as and when required, operational staff currently working in headquarters being redeployed to prisons to support the service.
In line with broader clinical advice, HMPPS has introduced a procedure for the protective isolation of individuals in prison custody when it is considered that they may be potentially infected with the virus.
We are closely monitoring the number of prison officers, prisoners and others who are reported as self-isolating, are being tested for and have been diagnosed with COVID-19. We will publish COVID-19 management information once we have assured its robustness, in a fast-changing picture.
Violence against our hardworking staff is completely unacceptable and will never be tolerated, which is why we have doubled the maximum prison sentence for anyone who assaults prison officers. Those who commit more serious offences can be imprisoned for far longer.
We are giving officers tools like PAVA pepper spray and body-worn cameras to make their jobs safer.
More widely, we are spending £100 million to bolster prison security, clamping down on the weapons, drugs and mobile phones that fuel violence and crime behind bars. This will fund tough security, body scanners and phone-blocking technology.
The numbers of assaults, serious assaults and sexual assaults on staff are published annually. They are broken down into prison officers and other staff. The most recent go up to December 2018 and can be seen via https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-september-2019. The next set of annual data will be published on 30 April.
The numbers of prison staff admitted to hospital following the throwing of urine and/or excreta in the last ten calendar years are in the table below. HM Prison & Probation Service does not hold data that would show whether a prisoner was under the influence of psychoactive substances when assaulting a member of staff.
2009 | 0 | 2014 | 2 |
2010 | 0 | 2015 | 0 |
2011 | 0 | 2016 | 1 |
2012 | 0 | 2017 | 3 |
2013 | 0 | 2018 | 1 |
I regret that, apart from this, to provide figures to the level of detail requested could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Violence against our hardworking staff is completely unacceptable and will never be tolerated, which is why we have doubled the maximum prison sentence for anyone who assaults prison officers. Those who commit more serious offences can be imprisoned for far longer.
We are giving officers tools like PAVA pepper spray and body-worn cameras to make their jobs safer.
More widely, we are spending £100 million to bolster prison security, clamping down on the weapons, drugs and mobile phones that fuel violence and crime behind bars. This will fund tough security, body scanners and phone-blocking technology.
The numbers of assaults, serious assaults and sexual assaults on staff are published annually. They are broken down into prison officers and other staff. The most recent go up to December 2018 and can be seen via https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-september-2019. The next set of annual data will be published on 30 April.
The numbers of prison staff admitted to hospital following the throwing of urine and/or excreta in the last ten calendar years are in the table below. HM Prison & Probation Service does not hold data that would show whether a prisoner was under the influence of psychoactive substances when assaulting a member of staff.
2009 | 0 | 2014 | 2 |
2010 | 0 | 2015 | 0 |
2011 | 0 | 2016 | 1 |
2012 | 0 | 2017 | 3 |
2013 | 0 | 2018 | 1 |
I regret that, apart from this, to provide figures to the level of detail requested could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Violence against our hardworking staff is completely unacceptable and will never be tolerated, which is why we have doubled the maximum prison sentence for anyone who assaults prison officers. Those who commit more serious offences can be imprisoned for far longer.
We are giving officers tools like PAVA pepper spray and body-worn cameras to make their jobs safer.
More widely, we are spending £100 million to bolster prison security, clamping down on the weapons, drugs and mobile phones that fuel violence and crime behind bars. This will fund tough security, body scanners and phone-blocking technology.
The numbers of assaults, serious assaults and sexual assaults on staff are published annually. They are broken down into prison officers and other staff. The most recent go up to December 2018 and can be seen via https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-september-2019. The next set of annual data will be published on 30 April.
The numbers of prison staff admitted to hospital following the throwing of urine and/or excreta in the last ten calendar years are in the table below. HM Prison & Probation Service does not hold data that would show whether a prisoner was under the influence of psychoactive substances when assaulting a member of staff.
2009 | 0 | 2014 | 2 |
2010 | 0 | 2015 | 0 |
2011 | 0 | 2016 | 1 |
2012 | 0 | 2017 | 3 |
2013 | 0 | 2018 | 1 |
I regret that, apart from this, to provide figures to the level of detail requested could be done only at disproportionate cost.
The Ministry of Justice collects and publishes key statistics on proven reoffending in England and Wales. The proven reoffending figures include offenders who were released from custody, received a non-custodial conviction at court, or received a caution or reprimand. The data published can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proven-reoffending-statistics.
The specific information you have requested is not held centrally by the Ministry of Justice because our data only records people who are convicted/cautioned and not people who are charged. If someone is found not guilty of all offences they are removed from our Police National Computer (PNC) extract. This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost because we would need to link prisons data to PNC data on previous convictions.
The table below is comprised of unpublished management information sourced from internal reports belonging to Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and provides the number of Crown Court sitting days there were in each of the last available 10 financial years:
Financial Year | HMCTS “Crown Court sitting days” |
2009/10 | 108,536 |
2010/11 | 109,263 |
2011/12 | 106,739 |
2012/13 | 103,181 |
2013/14 | 101,724 |
2014/15 | 106,583 |
2015/16 | 109,321 |
2016/17 | 107,863 |
2017/18 | 102,818 |
2018/19 | 97,293 |
Sitting days are based on the number of cases we expect the court to hear and, with fewer cases making it to the Crown Court, were reduced to allow judges to carry out work in the civil and family courts, where demand is higher. This approach has enabled us to reduce the number of outstanding Crown Court cases by almost 40% since 2014.
We keep sitting days under constant review and in November allocated an extra 700 days to the Crown Court for this financial year, in response to an increase in cases coming to court.
Notes:
The Department seeks on-going assurance from the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) as to the governance and management of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) as part of its partnership arrangements. This includes reports from the OLC on any issues of concern; regular meetings between Executives at the OLC and Ministry of Justice officials and attendance at OLC’s internal Audit and Risk Committee meetings.