argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Reoffending Rates: Custom House Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Samuel Phillip Gyimah (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady makes a very important point. As I said in response to the previous question, this is a priority for us. We are looking at expanding bail accommodation and support services to include lower risk offenders, utilising spare MOJ capacity, expanding our approved premises programme, and working very closely with other Government Departments, such as the Department for Communities and Local Government, to solve this serious problem.
Reoffending Rates: Custom House Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): While strongly supporting the initiative of my hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Mr Bacon), will the prisons Minister tell the House which construction companies get this and actually offer fair opportunities to ex-offenders in the construction sector? Will he perhaps also tell us which companies need a bit of a nudge in this area?
Reoffending Rates: Custom House Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Labor
Samuel Phillip Gyimah (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is pre-empting our employment strategy, which we will announce very soon. He will be aware of the New Futures Network, which the Justice Secretary announced at party conference. This will bring together employers and ex-offenders to help to create employment on release. The construction sector is a key sector and he will be hearing more from us in due course.
Reoffending Rates: Custom House Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Samuel Phillip Gyimah (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course we want to reduce reoffending. The presumption in this country is against prison. It is up to the judiciary to sentence how they see fit. We want to make sure that there are appropriate interventions in the community and we are looking at that.
Litigants in Person — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): We have the LASPO review, which I have described. If I may, I will take this opportunity to point out that since 2015 we have invested £5 million in the litigant in person support strategy, which includes practical support such as: online and self-help resources, access to free or affordable legal advice, and, where possible, legal representation.
Litigants in Person — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): We will be laying the statutory instrument shortly and I think, beneath the political point-scoring, the hon. Lady welcomed it. It will make it easier to apply for legal aid in family cases where there has been a victim of domestic abuse. More broadly, wider personal support units provide trained volunteers who give free independent assistance to people facing proceedings in the family sphere and beyond. There are 20 centres in 16 cities. I hope she would welcome that.
Prison Officers — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): The Prison Service pay review body recommendations, which I accepted in full, were implemented in the October and November pay of officers. It is therefore too early to assess the effect of this particular award, but I can report to the House that at the end of September this year total prison officer numbers were up by more than 1,200 full-time equivalent staff compared with the previous 12-month period.
Prison Officers — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): For those prisons, mostly in London and south-east England, experiencing particular challenges over both recruitment and retention, we are offering additional support and resources. I would have hoped, however, that the hon. Lady would have welcomed the significant increase in prison officer numbers over the last year. The prison officer pay recommendations were implemented in full, and prison officers received a pay rise of 1.7%. In terms of the total bill, that is more than was awarded to other public sector workers.
Prison Officers — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): Prison officers certainly are working under very challenging conditions, not least because of how organised crime is promoting traffic in new psychoactive substances across prison walls, but we believe that not just the increase in numbers but the shift, in forthcoming months, to the new offender management model, under which each officer will take responsibility for about half a dozen named offenders, will contribute to increased morale.
Prison Officers — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said in response to the last question, the new offender management model, which we are implementing throughout the system, will reduce the pressure on individual prison officers. Where a particular prison has greater than average difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, we will continue to put in extra resource and support to help them.
Prisoner Rehabilitation: Sporting Activities — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Jon Wood (Conservative, Centre-right): Team sports promote the values of hard work, accountability and team work. Does the Minister agree that these are exactly the values we should seek to instil in offenders, particularly young offenders, to cut the risk of reoffending and give them a better chance in life after release?
Prisoner Rehabilitation: Sporting Activities — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I do. I hope that every Member would agree. I have commissioned Professor Rosie Meek of Royal Holloway to compile a report on the impact of sport on offenders in custody and in the community so that I can get a complete picture of what I think are the positive benefits. I look forward to her report being published in the new year.
Prisoner Rehabilitation: Sporting Activities — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): The purpose of prison is to play its part in reducing crime. That is the fundamental challenge that our Department and the Home Office face, and I believe that sports clubs can play a part. For example, the Saracens project with Feltham young offenders institution has a recidivism rate in its small pilot of about 10%, which compares very favourably to the overall rate.
Prisoner Rehabilitation: Sporting Activities — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): Thank you for the opportunity, Mr Speaker. I agree with the hon. Lady that it is not exclusively sport that can make an impact on the lives of young offenders in particular. I remember visiting Cookham Wood Prison and being overwhelmed by the quality of the artwork that was being undertaken there.
Prison Governors — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): In April this year, governors were given authority to devise the daily routine in prisons—the way in which they organise staff—and to have a greater say in the health services received by prisoners. In October, governors gained control of the new family services budget, and next year we will devolve the prison education, careers advice and libraries budget to governors in England.
Prison Governors — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Craig Mackinlay (Conservative, Centre-right): That is enormously helpful. Does my right hon. Friend agree that governors know their prisons and their prisoners best, and that many of the day-to-day operational decisions about such matters as the core regime, education and training are best devolved down from Governments into their local hands?
Prison Governors — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I do agree. I think it important for Ministers and officials in the Prison Service to trust the professionalism of governors who are in charge of individual establishments, which is why, as national contracts for particular services expire—for example, maintenance, repairs and food procurement contracts—we will seek opportunities to devolve them to establishment level.
Prison Governors — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): Ultimately, I am responsible for the Department and the services that it provides. As is the case with every inspection report, the Prison Service will take action to remedy the problems identified by the chief inspector, and a new scanner to detect drugs has already been installed at Holme House.
Prisons: Drones — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Samuel Phillip Gyimah (Conservative, Centre-right): The organised criminals who use drones to smuggle drugs and phones are a major threat to the stability and safety of our prisons. We are taking decisive steps to tackle that threat through joint intelligence-led operations with law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt the individuals involved.
Prisons: Drones — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Luke Anthony Hall (Conservative, Centre-right): What more can be done to harness the power of intelligence-led work to track drones, not just to stop them coming into prisons but to find the criminals who are seeking to use them to disrupt our prison system?
Prisons: Drones — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Samuel Phillip Gyimah (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of not just stopping contraband coming into prisons, but stopping the organised crime networks that are behind that. The specialist staff in our regional and national intelligence teams are transforming the way in which we work with the police to that end. We have launched Operation Trenton, in which a specialist team of police and Prison Service investigators will work together to intercept drones and track down the criminals behind them. So far there have been at least 17 convictions related to drone activity, and those convicted are serving about 50 years in prison.
Prisons: Mobile Telephones — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Samuel Phillip Gyimah (Conservative, Centre-right): Illicit phones erode the barrier that prison walls used to place between prisoners and the community. They can be used to harass victims and to support the trade in contraband that, as we know, drives violence and self-harm. We are working with law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt the organised crime networks that supply phones and other illicit items to prisons. For example, our recent joint operation at HMP Hewell recovered 323 items, including 79 mobiles and a large quantity of drugs.
Prisons: Mobile Telephones — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Stephen James Metcalfe (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my hon. Friend agree that we must be constantly alert to the potential for new technology to deter, detect and disrupt the illicit use of mobile phones in prisons? Does he therefore welcome the potential offered by the private Member’s Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (Maria Caulfield), which received its Second Reading last week and which will help to block mobile phone signals around prisons?
Prisons: Mobile Telephones — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Samuel Phillip Gyimah (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The consequence of illicit items in prisons is violence and instability for the regime, and the way to counter that technological threat is through technology. The private Member’s Bill promoted by my hon. Friend the Member for Lewes, which the Government are backing, would give us more power to switch off mobile phones in prisons and therefore deal with the scourge that they present.
Prison Officers: Safety — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): In addition to strengthening the frontline by boosting prison officer numbers, we are using intelligence-led searches and joint operations with law enforcement agencies to disrupt the supply of drugs, phones and other illicit items that drive violence in prisons. We have invested in 5,600 body-worn cameras to help to protect prison staff, and we are working with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute prisoners who assault officers.
Prison Officers: Safety — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): On a visit to Rochester prison last Thursday, I heard that perceptions of prison officer safety were affecting recruitment. Can the Secretary of State tell us what the Department is doing to support the recruitment of prison officers?
Prison Officers: Safety — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): We are meeting with considerable success in filling the 2,500 additional prison officer places that my predecessor, the right hon. Member for South West Norfolk (Elizabeth Truss), successfully negotiated a year ago. We are also developing a graduate entry scheme for prison officers, and working with the armed forces to ensure that the service leavers scheme takes proper account of the opportunities in the prison service.
Prison Officers: Safety — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Lady makes a good point. Within Government, we continue to discuss how we might look at changes and reforms to the way in which the prison and probation workforces are structured, but irrespective of those discussions, we are proceeding with measures to give additional support to prison governors and prison officers by boosting regional management teams and trying to ensure that professional development is taken seriously at all ranks of the prison service.
Prison Officers: Safety — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend the Prisons Minister and I meet representatives of the Prison Officers Association both at national level and whenever we go to visit prisons, where we make a point of talking directly to staff and listening to their concerns. I believe that, as well as recruiting additional officers as promised, we need to ensure that anybody who attacks a prison officer is properly prosecuted, where there is good evidence available. That is what ought to happen, and I hope that the police and the Crown Prosecution Service will work with us to ensure that we get those outcomes.
Female Offender Management — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): We are investing over £1 million between 2016 and 2020 to support local areas in developing multi-agency approaches to female offenders. We also developing a strategy for female offenders to improve outcomes for women in the community and in custody.
Female Offender Management — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (Conservative, Centre-right): East Sutton Park Prison in my constituency does a fantastic job in helping women offenders prepare for life after prison, and I look forward to welcoming my hon. Friend to the prison in the new year. What are he and the Government doing to help women across the country prepare to make a fresh start on leaving prison?
Female Offender Management — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): In my travels around the country, every governor of a women’s prison I have met knows the importance of maintaining good family links. In the strategy, we have this in our minds in developing an infrastructure for the future, whereby women are held as close a possible to their families, if they have to be locked up.
Female Offender Management — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): 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.
Female Offender Management — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): 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.
Exceptional Case Funding Scheme — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What plans he has to review the criteria for the exceptional case funding scheme for coroners’ inquests involving multiple deaths to ensure that close family members have legal representation.
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): We are looking at ways to make inquests more sensitive to the needs of bereaved families. The Lord Chancellor will update the guidance on exceptional case funding by the end of the year, and we will also look at this issue as part of the wider LASPO—Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012—review.
Exceptional Case Funding Scheme — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What plans he has to review the criteria for the exceptional case funding scheme for coroners’ inquests involving multiple deaths to ensure that close family members have legal representation.
Timothy Paul Loughton (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend will be aware that I raised the case of the Shoreham air show crash with the Prime Minister at questions a month ago. The Legal Aid Agency has refused exceptional case funding to the families of the victims. Can it be right that the families of the victims of an event that at the time resulted in the largest civilian loss of life since 7/7 might be the only ones not to have legal representation at the coroners’ inquest next year, not least when there is a wider public interest for the over 2 million people who attend 300-plus civilian air shows each year?
Exceptional Case Funding Scheme — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What plans he has to review the criteria for the exceptional case funding scheme for coroners’ inquests involving multiple deaths to ensure that close family members have legal representation.
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): My deepest sympathies go to the victims of the Shoreham airshow disaster. My hon. Friend knows that I cannot comment on individual decisions, but I can say that we have protected early legal advice for inquests within the scope of legal aid, and there is an opportunity to look at the issue more broadly as part of the LASPO review. Legal aid is decided independently, but it was granted in over half of cases where inquest applications were made last year.
Youth Custody: Physical Restraint — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): We are clear that restraint should be used only when it is absolutely necessary and when no other form of intervention is possible or appropriate. The number of incidents in which restraint was used reduced by 11% between the year ending March 2015 and the year ending March 2016.
Youth Custody: Physical Restraint — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Phillip James Lee (Conservative, Centre-right): The restraint techniques that are used were developed in consultation with a medical panel and a medical adviser—[Interruption.] I must emphasise to the hon. Lady that we are dealing with sometimes quite violent individuals. Violence levels in the youth estate are 10 times that in the adult estate, and decisions are sometimes made, however difficult, to protect the individual concerned, other children in the unit and the staff. [Interruption.]
Court System: Modernisation — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): With permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer Question 19 together with Questions 20 and 24. We are investing £1 billion in the modernisation of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. This summer, we launched the first online courts pilots, covering divorce, social security and civil money claims. In October, I visited the Manchester civil justice centre and saw some of that work first hand.
Court System: Modernisation — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Thomas Morris (Conservative, Centre-right): Part of the problem with the courts system is that the lay person does not understand the jargon. Will my right hon. Friend examine how we can improve communication within the system so that the ordinary man on the street can understand what is going on in court proceedings?
Court System: Modernisation — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): I apologise to you, Mr Speaker, if there was a mess-up in communications with your office In response to my hon. Friend, as we test and pilot the online court proposals it is important to ensure that the process is stripped of legal jargon so that our constituents—men and women who may have no particular knowledge or experience of the technicalities of law—are able easily to understand, follow and use the process.
Court System: Modernisation — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Thomas Georg John Tugendhat (Conservative, Centre-right): As co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on public legal education and pro bono, I was wondering whether my right hon. Friend had made any assessment of how the online process will save many people who go to small claims courts from unnecessary stress and hassle when all they are often trying to do is resolve a simple money claim.
Court System: Modernisation — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): When a proposal is made to close any court centre there is a public consultation, which enables representations to be made and evidence to be looked at seriously. Such a consultation is always accompanied by an analysis of the travel times, both by car and by public transport, for people who use the court centre scheduled for closure to attend the proposed alternative. These things are considered in detail.
Court System: Modernisation — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): I would like to take away and reflect on the serious points made by the hon. Lady. Obviously the conduct of a trial in court is a matter for the trial judge, but I will look seriously at the issue and write to her when I have had the chance to take advice on the matter.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-12-05
Topic: Law and Crime
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): Since the last Justice questions I have introduced a new urgent notification process, which allows the chief inspector of prisons formally and publicly to notify me, as Secretary of State, where he judges that urgent action is required to improve a prison with significant problems. This new procedure will require a joint response from Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service and my Department to ensure that decisive action is taken to address immediate concerns, and we will demonstrate our commitment to transparency by publishing both the chief inspector’s notification letter and my response within 28 days.