Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 18th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Grant]

Victims will certainly be part of the heart of the justice system. An announcement will be made imminently to confirm the name of the new victims commissioner and I look forward to working with her very closely indeed. [Hon. Members: “Her?”] A lot of work is being done to improve security and safety in courts in addition to what I and the victims commissioner will do. Work has been done to improve security, including improvements to buildings, improved ways of working and improved education and training. The provision for the presence of a court security officer and enhanced risk management have also been helpful additions. We will continue to make sure that security is a priority.

[Mr Speaker]

I look forward to hearing further details in due course, if we have not already heard all of them.

[Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East) (Con)]

13. What steps his Department is taking to address vulnerabilities faced by women involved or at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system.

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[Mrs Grant]

I look forward to announcing the name of the victims commissioner within the next few days.

[Mr Speaker]

We are now all agog.

[Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)]

Very agog, Sir. Will the Secretary of State say when he plans to end the scandal of making welfare benefit payments to prisoners serving a sentence?

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[Chris Grayling]

I will have to look into that. I am not aware that I have refused to provide anything. The figure has been made publicly available.

[Mr Speaker]

Well, the plot thickens.

[Mr Robert Buckland (South Swindon) (Con)]

Last year, the number of applications for permission to apply for judicial review in immigration and asylum cases reached a point at which they represent more than three quarters of the total number of such applications. What will my right hon. Friend do about that growing issue?

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[Chris Grayling]

We are doing two things. First, we are undertaking a complete review of how we detain young people. I am uneasy—to say the least—about a system that costs a substantial amount of money and yet has a high reoffending rate. I do not believe we are getting it right, and we are looking to introduce a process in the new year to address how we detain young people. Secondly, I am in regular contact with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education. I believe we are due to meet to discuss those issues in the next few days.

[Mr Speaker]

Last but not least, I call Steve Rotheram.

[Steve Rotheram (Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)]

After a lengthy campaign, tomorrow the High Court will hear the application from the Attorney-General to quash the original verdicts into the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans at Hillsborough in 1989—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman must resume his seat. My strong sense—I do not have advance briefing on the detail of the matter—is that the issue that he is raising could well be sub judice.

[Steve Rotheram]

indicated dissent.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. It is not a matter to be raised now, so we will leave it there. I am sorry to disappoint the hon. Gentleman.

[Steve Rotheram]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. That is the end of it. We must now move on.