Prisons and Courts Bill

Debate between Rob Marris and Elizabeth Truss

2nd reading: House of Commons
Monday 20th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that he will not have to wait long for an answer to his question. I agree that the system is in need of reform, and I will bring forward a consultation before the Easter recess. I look forward to hearing his contribution to it.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

Will the Secretary of State tell the House where the consultation’s tariff figures for whiplash came from? What evidence was there for the Government to put those figures in the consultation document?

[Elizabeth Truss]

The hon. Gentleman will have noticed that we have changed the figures in response to the consultation document. Those were judged to be fair and reasonable for the level of injury that we are talking about in this case.

HMP Birmingham

Debate between Rob Marris and Elizabeth Truss

Monday 19th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

We have great recruitment plans and programmes in place. We have already recruited a significant number for the first 10 prisons, including one in Wales, and we will follow that through with new apprenticeship programmes and graduate entry programmes and by making sure staff in our prison service are able to gain promotion and get the training they need to progress.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

John Thornhill, president of the National Council of Independent Monitoring Boards, says the boards are “frustrated” by the lack of response to the issues raised in their annual reports, so can the Secretary of State tell me three specific and substantive actions taken as a result of the relevant monitoring board’s latest annual report into Birmingham?

[Elizabeth Truss]

The White Paper is very clear about reforming and making sure IMB recommendations are taken seriously, and about working closely with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, because at the moment there is no duty for the Secretary of State to respond. We are putting that in place, to make sure it triggers action.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rob Marris and Elizabeth Truss

Tuesday 6th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

First, may I welcome my hon. Friend back to the House? It is great to see her back on our Benches looking so fit and well.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

Radiant!

[Elizabeth Truss]

Indeed. Finally, I can agree with a comment from the Opposition.

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the issue of self-harm and suicides in our prison. The rates are too high, which is why we are taking steps to increase the number of prison officers. We will have a dedicated officer for every six prisoners and they will be responsible for those prisoners’ welfare and for helping them to turn their lives around so that they do not go back to reoffending.

--- Later in debate ---

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am delighted that my hon. Friend has joined that review, to which I am sure that she will make a major contribution. Clearly there are issues throughout the criminal justice system that we need to examine, but I am certainly keen to see more diversity throughout our legal services industry and our judiciary, and we are working very hard on that.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

Education budgets are being devolved to prison governors. Will each of those budgets be ring-fenced for education spending purposes?

[Elizabeth Truss]

Yes.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rob Marris and Elizabeth Truss

Tuesday 6th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

Half an hour ago, the Secretary of State said that when the Human Rights Act is repealed it will be replaced with a new British Bill of Rights that will include additional human rights. What additional human rights will there be?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I said that we will enhance human rights in this country, and we will bring forward our proposals in due course.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rob Marris and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 7th July 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that our research base and our agri-tech are vitally important. That is the future of agriculture, with more precision farming and better use of data. I am determined to do all we can to protect and grow that. That is why we are investing £160 million in our agri-tech budget. Of course we need to plan even more for the future.

[Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)]

Has the Department made available up-to-date data on the effect of the temporary neonicotinoid ban on both agricultural production and the health of bees, especially honey bees? If not, when will that data be available?

[Elizabeth Truss]

We are looking at further research in this area. More research is due to be published and there are already many published pieces of research. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the decision on the use of neonicotinoids in the UK is made by the independent pesticides committee. It is made by Ministers, but we follow the scientific advice of that committee, whose minutes are fully published.