argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Custodial Sentences: Women — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Caroline Julia Dinenage (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady makes an excellent point. That is why our women’s prisons have made an enormous effort to engage with families and children, and some of them give women the opportunity to hold overnight visits with their young children. That is what the pilots are about: they are about recognising offending behaviour very early on, so that we can bring in third sector organisations and local authorities to divert women from ending up in prison.
Legal Aid — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): There are, of course, rules and regulations as to who qualifies and who does not. I cannot comment on specific individual cases, but the Legal Aid Agency does try to make sure that it is only those who qualify who get the assistance it provides.
Criminal Courts Charge — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the criminal courts charge on access to justice; and if he will make a statement.
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): Last week, I announced that the Ministry of Justice will review the entire structure and purpose of the financial penalties and orders handed down by courts to offenders, with a view to considering options for simplification and improvement. The Government have listened carefully to the concerns raised about the criminal courts charge, and in the light of those concerns, I decided to pause the imposition of the charge while the wider review is carried out.
Criminal Courts Charge — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the criminal courts charge on access to justice; and if he will make a statement.
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her kind words, and for reminding the House that, while I was not an unprecedented success as Chief Whip, I did manage to vote with the Government the majority of the time while I was in that post. It is the case that people will have paid penalties under the criminal courts charge. That was the law at the time, and it will be the law until 24 December. After that, people will not pay the criminal courts charge.
Criminal Courts Charge — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the criminal courts charge on access to justice; and if he will make a statement.
Michael Jon Wood (Conservative, Centre-right): Members on both sides of the House will be pleased that the fixed charge will no longer apply from later this month, but does the Secretary of State agree that it is right that convicted criminals should contribute not only towards supporting victims, but towards the running costs of our criminal courts?
Criminal Courts Charge — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the criminal courts charge on access to justice; and if he will make a statement.
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very important point. One of the reasons why we are reviewing the way in which the court orders penalties and fines to be paid is that there is at least a triple purpose: of course penalties need to be paid in order to ensure that people recognise that they have crossed the threshold of the law and need to be punished, but the money raised also goes to help with both the administration of justice and the support of victims.
Criminal Courts Charge — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the criminal courts charge on access to justice; and if he will make a statement.; Until 24 December, magistrates will be forced to impose what is now a discredited charge, which has caused many of them to resign. What advice does the Secretary of State give those people in the meantime?
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): To obey the law of the land. It is my responsibility to uphold the rule of law. We sought to take steps as quickly as possible after a proper review of the criminal courts charge and after the spending review to suspend the operation of the charge. Twenty-one days after the requisite statutory instrument was laid—that is, on 24 December—there will be no further imposition of the charge.
Criminal Courts Charge — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: If he will make an assessment of the effect of the criminal courts charge on access to justice; and if he will make a statement.; Until 24 December, magistrates will be forced to impose what is now a discredited charge, which has caused many of them to resign. What advice does the Secretary of State give those people in the meantime?
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes; I hesitate to say what the mark would be We moved as expeditiously as possible to suspend the charge. The best legal advice available to the Department suggested that this was the most effective way of relieving magistrates of the obligation to impose it.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): I am delighted that we have secured over £700 million of funding to invest in our courts and tribunals. We have worked closely with the senior judiciary to develop a plan to reform our courts system so that it delivers swifter and fairer justice for everyone in England and Wales at a lower cost.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): It is important in the 21st century that we recognise that a third of the 460 court and tribunal buildings are utilised at a rate of less than 50%. Many of the buildings are not fit for purpose, are listed or are not in compliance with equalities legislation. There is a host of problems and the cost of running the buildings is phenomenal. We need a reformed, up-to-date and modern courts system, and I assure the hon. Gentleman that it will provide access to justice for all.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. As a consequence of the £700 million investment that we received in the spending review, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a modern, user-focused and efficient Courts and Tribunals Service. Reform of the service is crucial to enable much more efficient access to justice for everyone, including people with learning difficulties. In the one nation Britain that we seek, we want to ensure that everyone has access to all the public facilities on offer.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Alexander John Gervase Chalk (Conservative, Centre-right): As part of the Government’s welcome courts modernisation plans, Cheltenham magistrates court can expect to hear cases from across Gloucestershire, not just from Cheltenham. What measures will be taken to ensure that such courts have the physical and staffing resources they need to deal with the increased case load?
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): It is already the case that all magistrates court work in Gloucestershire that requires custodial facilities is heard at Cheltenham magistrates court. Should more work be moved to Cheltenham following the outcome of the consultation, the Courts and Tribunals Service will continue to assess the resources that are available at the court to ensure that they meet operational requirements. I should, however, emphasise that no decisions have yet been taken regarding magistrates courts in Gloucestershire.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): There is nothing short-sighted about having a consultation, the purpose of which is to allow people such as the hon. Gentleman and his constituents to have their say and try to persuade us that, all things considered, the court should be retained. As I said, no decisions have been taken and we are carefully considering all the submissions.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): I have the utmost respect for the hon. Gentleman, but may I gently bring him into the 21st century, which he may not be familiar with? We will ensure that with modern technology such as video-conferencing and telephone facilities, people will have access to justice without having to go to court. Access to justice does not mean simply attending a court and the physical building that it represents.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: I understand the rationale behind court modernisation, as it will help to create a more streamlined and responsive justice system while generating substantial savings for the taxpayer, and I am grateful to the Minister for meeting me to discuss the proposed closure of Stockport court, which is a mutual interest. Following our conversations, will he provide an update on that court’s future, and say whether the proposals that I presented to him, which would mean that that court remained viable, have been considered?
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to say that we have met. With this proposed closure of 91 courts, I have tried to make myself available to as many colleagues as possible—as far as I am aware, I have met every person who wanted a meeting. I am seriously considering my hon. Friend’s proposals, and I am grateful to her for submitting them.
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): The investment in prison reform announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the spending review is designed to make it easier to get prisoners learning and working. As a result, I recently met the Employers’ Forum for Reducing Re-offending to discuss how we can improve employment opportunities for ex-offenders.
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Labor
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): I wholeheartedly welcome its work, and I commend its efforts to other companies. About 20% of companies employ ex-offenders, but as many as 90% of companies have expressed an interest in doing so. I suspect that the example set by the employer in my hon. Friend’s constituency will inspire more companies to support ex-offenders into work.
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Labor
David Anthony Andrew Amess (Conservative, Centre-right): Given that prison is an expensive option, does my right hon. Friend agree that it makes moral sense to give people who wish to turn their lives around the opportunity to work? Does he also agree that that makes sound business sense, because those people are often hard-working and very loyal employees?
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): I would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend and her constituent. Many outstanding firms, from Cisco Systems to Greggs the bakers, Halfords and DHL, are doing more and more to employ offenders, and we must reduce the bureaucratic burdens standing in their way.
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for that point. I would like to see an expansion of release on temporary licence across the prison estate, not just in women’s prisons. We must ensure an appropriate assessment of the risk posed by releasing offenders in such a way, but we must also reinforce the initiative of prison governors who want people out there working and accustoming themselves to life on the outside.
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making that point. In my constituency, HMP Coldingley works with a group of disparate employers to provide offenders with the chance to contribute again. He makes a very important point.
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): The first thing we need to do is give governors a greater sense of freedom so that they are able to invite employers in, ensure they can make use of prisoners while they are still on the prison estate and employ them through the gate. Specific reforms we hope to bring forward in the new year will give more governors precisely that freedom and flexibility.
Prisons’ Engagement with Employers — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: Does the Secretary of State agree that the key to improving employment in prisons is giving more power and control to governors over what goes on in their prisons, including the accountability and control to ensure that the quality is appropriate?
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely agree. I think many Members will be aware of the Clink Restaurant social enterprise. A visionary prison governor at High Down in Surrey and a succession of great governors at HMP Brixton have helped it to expand. One of the most impressive prisons I have visited, HMP Parc in Bridgend, is also part of this initiative—all because of great governors leading institutions that we can learn from.
Military Veterans — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Penning (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are determined to help all offenders, including ex-armed forces personnel who enter the criminal justice system, to turn their lives around and move away from crime. I was surprised, when I took over as Veterans Minister, to learn that we were not asking prisoners when they came in whether they had served in Her Majesty’s armed forces. We are now doing that when they enter the criminal justice system, so we know better how to help them.
Military Veterans — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Graham Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): The vast majority of military personnel successfully transition back into civilian life, having left the armed forces. However, veterans represent the largest single cohort in our prisons. Will my right hon. Friend join me in praising the excellent work of Care After Combat, whose Phoenix project aims to reduce reoffending rates by mentoring veterans both in prison and on release?
Military Veterans — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Penning (Conservative, Centre-right): I would like to take this opportunity to praise all those in the voluntary sector who help in the criminal justice system for the work they do, particularly for veterans. The Phoenix project, piloted in February last year by Care After Combat, seems to be very successful. We look forward to seeing exactly what is going on, but it was successful in getting £1 million from the LIBOR fund in the autumn statement and I wish it every success.
Prison Initiatives and Programmes — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the use of sport-based initiatives in (a) rehabilitation and (b) counter-extremism programmes in prisons.
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): We are interested in developing and testing sports-based initiatives as part of our approach to rehabilitation, and remain committed to using evidence to drive better outcomes and value for money. In October this year, we part-funded an initiative called the National Alliance of Sport for the Desistance of Crime, which will provide further evidence for whether and how sport may assist desistance.
Prison Initiatives and Programmes — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the use of sport-based initiatives in (a) rehabilitation and (b) counter-extremism programmes in prisons.
Charlotte Leslie (Conservative, Centre-right): The often troubled young men and women who, instead of having their anger and drive directed elsewhere, fall prey to manipulative and destructive extremist ideology are to be pitied. Is the Minister aware of the success of boxing in rehabilitation and helping to prevent extremism, including in prisons such as HMP Doncaster, and will he consider piloting non-contact boxing schemes in more prisons and for more categories of offender?
Prison Initiatives and Programmes — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the use of sport-based initiatives in (a) rehabilitation and (b) counter-extremism programmes in prisons.
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend, who has been persistent on this issue, is right that there is promising evidence for the positive influence of sport in rehabilitation. Across prisons in England and Wales, we have 183 different sports-based interventions, although not all of them are available in all prisons. The National Alliance of Sport for the Desistance of Crime will go further in this area, but I would be happy to meet her to talk further about the initiatives she mentions.
Prison Initiatives and Programmes — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the use of sport-based initiatives in (a) rehabilitation and (b) counter-extremism programmes in prisons.
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): We will of course proceed according to the evidence from the initiative we have just launched. The right hon. Gentleman will also know that the Secretary of State has launched an independent review of extremism across the prisons estate. Yesterday, I met the excellent former governor who is conducting the review, and we will report in due course.
Prison Initiatives and Programmes — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the use of sport-based initiatives in (a) rehabilitation and (b) counter-extremism programmes in prisons.
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): I genuinely respect the hon. Lady’s experience in this area, but we have been extremely successful in getting a lot more prison officers on to the landings up and down the country. In the year to 30 September, we saw a net increase of 540 prison officers, meaning less restrictive regimes and more activities. The good news is that we will carry on recruiting at that number up to the end of March next year, when we are seeking an additional 1,700 to 2,000 prison officers.
Legal Representation: Children — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Caroline Julia Dinenage (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government believe it is important for children and young people to have access to justice. That is why we have made sure that legal aid funding is available for the highest priority cases, including many that are of relevance to children.
Legal Aid — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): In the past five years, we have taken action to put the country’s finances back on track, while protecting legal aid for those who need it the most. Legal aid remains a vital part of our justice system, and we must ensure that it is sustainable and fair for those who need it and those who provide legal services, and fair for the taxpayer. I am pleased that the recent spending review led to no further reductions in criminal legal aid.
Legal Aid — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): All victims of domestic violence must be fully supported in freeing their lives from this menace. Does the Minister agree that it is vital to maintain full access to justice for victims of domestic violence all the way through the legal system?
Legal Aid — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I do agree with my hon. Friend, and we have made sure that legal aid remains available for victims of domestic violence who need it. We have also made recent changes making it easier to obtain legal aid in cases where domestic violence is a factor, and we have made sure that once legal aid is granted, no further applications need be made for the duration of the case.
Legal Aid — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): We have a legal aid budget of £1.6 billion, which is one of the largest in the world. By comparison with other common law jurisdictions such as Australia, Northern Ireland and Canada, we have double the expenditure per inhabitant. We have started a process and we will see it through. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that those in need of legal aid will be able to have it where it is necessary.
EU Convention on Human Rights — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): We have made it clear that the proposals will be brought forward in the new year for full consultation. One area that we want to look at a bit further is the impact of the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice in Luxembourg as well as the Court of Justice in Strasbourg. I can reassure the hon. and learned Lady that we will take the Scottish view very seriously. I have already met the Scottish Justice Minister, Alex Neil, and a range of Scottish practitioners and non-governmental organisations. I look forward to continuing that consultation.
Civil Court Fees — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are monitoring data on case loads and fee income from the civil courts, but it is too early to draw any firm conclusions. We will continue to keep the impact of fee changes under review. We recognise that fee increases are not popular, but at every stage we have sought to protect the most vulnerable by ensuring that they will not have to pay new and higher fees. In the current financial climate, it is only right that we are considering every option to raise fees to meet the budgetary challenges that we face.
Civil Court Fees — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Conservative, Centre-right): It is important for the hon. Gentleman to recognise that the court system needs to be properly funded. However, we have a very effective remission system, and those who cannot afford the fees do not have to pay them. He should also bear in mind that court fees amount to a tiny fraction of the total amount of legal fees that are incurred.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2015-12-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): With your permission, Mr Speaker, let me say that I hope the whole House agrees that we are all in the debt of the dedicated prison officers and prison staff who will be working on Christmas day and over the Christmas season. In that spirit, let me also congratulate the newly elected leader of the Prison Officers Association, Mr Mike Rolfe. My Department looks forward to working with him to improve the situation of all prison officers. They do an invaluable job, and we should support them in every way we can.