Oral Answers to Questions

Simon Hart Excerpts
Tuesday 18th December 2012

(11 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

That is a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions but I am absolutely of the view that benefit payments should not be made to serving prisoners. I hope and expect that the DWP will deal with that issue. I believe that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has already taken steps to ensure that the system we inherited, in which that kind of thing could happen, comes to an end.

Simon Hart Portrait Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con)
- Hansard - -

T9. Does the Secretary of State agree that although judicial review is important, in many circumstances its use can become excessive?

Lord Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I absolutely agree. The proposed consultation and the measures that we set out last week, which we think will make a difference as a first stage towards reforming judicial review, are essential. We must bear in mind that only one in five judicial reviews succeed. They are a huge burden on our justice system and a price the nation has to pay. We will be looking at whether further changes can be made to ensure that we protect the integrity of judicial review as a valuable tool for challenging the Government, while not allowing it to continue as a tool that can be abused.