Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness Debbonaire and Elizabeth Truss

Tuesday 25th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

The dedicated governor and staff at HMP Bristol do a brilliant job, but right now they are struggling with inadequate staffing ratios, prisoner use of the dangerous drug Spice, and poorly delivered privatised maintenance contracts. When will the Government give the prison in my constituency the tools it needs to do the job?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I can tell the hon. Lady that when I visited HMP Bristol I found some fantastically dedicated prison officers who are doing excellent work. We are investing £100 million to recruit 2,500 officers across the country, and we are on track with that recruitment.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Baroness Debbonaire and Elizabeth Truss

Tuesday 7th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

The Chair of the Select Committee on Justice is right that we need to get better at intervening before people commit crimes that lead to custody. As well as announcing a review of probation and the way in which it operates, we are looking at community sentences. We are ensuring that good community sentences are in place and that there is a higher use of mental health treatment orders and drugs desistance orders, which reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

What steps is the Secretary of State taking to reduce reoffending by domestic violence perpetrators in prisons and in communities?

[Elizabeth Truss]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right that, as we have got better at dealing with issues of domestic violence, there is more we can do. That is why I am leading a joint taskforce with the Home Secretary to look at the law around domestic violence. We are also ensuring that domestic violence victims are protected in the family court. Under the Prisons and Courts Bill, abusers will no longer be able to cross-examine domestic violence victims, and that is an important step forward.