Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance he has issued on engagement between his Department and the legal representatives of prisoners undertaking prolonged hunger strikes.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Under the Prison Rules and Prison Service Instruction 49/2011 Prisoner Communication Services, prisoners are entitled to confidential access to their legal advisers, including by telephone, in person legal visits, and written correspondence, all of which must take place without being monitored except in exceptional, legally defined circumstances. Prisons must facilitate reasonable opportunities for legal contact, such as providing access to visit rooms, scheduling telephone calls, and ensuring that mail to and from legal representatives is handled promptly and without routine opening or interference.

On 24 December, the Deputy Prime Minister wrote in response to a letter from legal representatives of those who were refusing food. He offered to facilitate a meeting between senior representatives of the healthcare provider and the prisoners’ solicitors. This offer was accepted on 8 January, and the meeting took place on 9 January.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time spent on remand in custody was in the most recent 12-month period for which data is available.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Information relating to the time spent on custodial remand is not centrally held by the Ministry of Justice. To obtain the data to answer this question would involve a manual interrogation of court records which would result in a disproportionate cost to the Department.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what national guidance is in place for NHS commissioners and providers regarding emergency or out-of-hours support for patients who experience sudden hearing aid failure; and whether he has assessed the patient safety risks associated with gaps in such provision.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England has published national commissioning guidance for adult audiology services, including the provision, maintenance, and ongoing support of hearing aids, to help commissioners deliver high quality and accessible hearing services in line with local population needs.

Responsibility for determining and commissioning any emergency or out of hours support for patients experiencing sudden hearing aid failure rests with integrated care boards, who are best placed to assess local demand and put appropriate arrangements in place.

The Department does not hold information on the number of trusts that provide out-of-hours support for hearing aid failure and has made no assessment on safety risks associated with variation in local provision.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Crown Court backlogs on the length of time defendants are held on remand prior to trial.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Crown Court backlogs can cause defendants to spend longer time on remand. This Government is committed to pulling every lever we have – investment, reform and efficiency – so can we turn the tide on the backlog. The Government has invested significantly in the system, including funding unlimited sitting days so that the Crown Court can hear as many cases as possible next year. We have also introduced the Courts and Tribunals Bill to enable much-needed reform of the criminal courts, and are leading a major efficiency drive, including the introduction of ‘blitz courts’ to get through the backlog.

The use of remand is a judicial matter, and there are well established processes for extending Custody Time Limits if needed. Applications must be approved by independent judges and defendants have the right to oppose any application.

Closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan

Found: North West Debbie Abrahams St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth BL4 9QB Bolton North West Yasmin Qureshi

Found: North West Debbie Abrahams St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth BL4 9QB Bolton North West Yasmin Qureshi