Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing the retirement age for prison officers in line with (a) police officers and (b) firefighters.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The Lord Chancellor has requested advice from officials on the pension age of prison officers, and we will continue to engage with trade unions as this is considered.
Asked by: Andrew George (Liberal Democrat - St Ives)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking through the criminal justice system to help tackle violence against women and children.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this Government is treating it as the national emergency that it is. The Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. We are aiming to publish our new, cross-government strategy later this year.
We will use a wide variety of tools to target perpetrators and tackle the root causes of abuse and violence. The Ministry of Justice has already taken action by:
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal on her Department.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In May, the UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US. This deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - sectors that employ over 320,000 people across the UK. In addition, an estimated 260,000 jobs are supported by the auto industry in the wider economy.
The Government remains focused on making sure British businesses can feel the benefits of the deal as soon as possible.
The Government is continuing discussions on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, enhancing access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains.
We are encouraged by the references in the Economic Prosperity Deal to potential future agreements to increase digital and services trade between the United States and the United Kingdom. My Department will continue to support the ongoing negotiations with the US, led by the Department for Business and Trade.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to meet with those harmed by sodium valproate.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
This is the responsibility of the Secretary of State at DHSC, whose department is meeting with these stakeholders.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has reviewed the validity of its insurance policies for HMP Downview, in the context of the imprisonment of biological males at that prison.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In line with HM Treasury’s guidance Managing Public Money, HMPPS does not buy general commercial insurance to protect against risk.
In line with HM Treasury guidance, HMP/YOI Downview has not taken out commercial insurance on the basis that it is better value for money for the taxpayer to cover its own risks.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Independent - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of Palestine Action members who have been acquitted by a jury for activity relating to protests against arms sales to Israel.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Data collated by the Ministry of Justice regarding the activity of the criminal court does not identify if a defendant is a Palestine Action member or if the offence was for activity relating to protests against arms sales to Israel. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Independent - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 June 2025 on Security, HCWS729, whether any Palestine Action members have been acquitted by a jury for those activities.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Data collated by the Ministry of Justice regarding the activity of the criminal court does not identify if a defendant is a Palestine Action member or if the offence was for activity relating to protests against arms sales to Israel. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Independent - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many (a) current and b) pending court cases a Palestine Action member is facing charges for protests against arms sales to Israel.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Data collated by the Ministry of Justice regarding the activity of the criminal court does not identify if a defendant is a Palestine Action member or if the offence was for activity relating to protests against arms sales to Israel. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Independent - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) current and (b) pending court cases there are on activities listed in her Written Statement of 23 June 2025 on Security, HCWS729.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Data collated by the Ministry of Justice regarding the activity of the criminal court does not identify if a defendant is a Palestine Action member or if the offence was for activity relating to protests against arms sales to Israel. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions were brought for workplace sexual harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Statistics collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the criminal offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 do not separately identify perpetrators prosecuted, convicted or sentenced to crimes involving sexual harassment, or the location of where the offence took place.
Collating such information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.