Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Yasmin Qureshi Excerpts
Tuesday 5th December 2017

(6 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Phillip Lee Portrait Dr Lee
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We already have a presumption against custody in our system in England. I acknowledge, however, that Scotland is embarking upon an exciting path in managing its women offenders, which is why I am going there on Thursday.

Yasmin Qureshi Portrait Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) (Lab)
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Given that half of all women in prison are there just for a few weeks, does the Minister agree that we can achieve a better outcome for the women themselves, and reduce the number of victims of crime, if we invest in women’s centres, rather than sending non-violent women to prison?

Phillip Lee Portrait Dr Lee
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When visiting prisons and meeting prisoners, what is striking is that many of them have been victims themselves. I am very conscious of that, and the strategy will try to deal with it through the way in which we handle and manage women who have committed offences.