Topical Questions 2025-07-08

2025-07-08

TAGS
Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Harpreet Uppal Lab
Huddersfield
Context
During a visit to Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership in Huddersfield, Harpreet Uppal heard about long delays between CPS charges and trial dates that retraumatise victims of domestic abuse and put significant strain on support services. The delays prevent victims from accessing swift justice.
The MP noted during a visit to Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership in Huddersfield the concerning issue of prolonged delays between CPS charges and court trials, which exacerbates trauma for victims and overburdens long-term care services. She asked the Government to urgently address these delays so that domestic abuse victims can promptly access justice.
My hon. Friend outlines exactly why we have asked Sir Brian Leveson to conduct a review into the criminal courts; the ambition is to reduce the length of time victims have to wait for justice. We are expecting the recommendations of that review shortly. We are supporting victims by funding key support services to make sure that victims continue to be engaged with our criminal justice system, and we are expanding the use of specialist domestic abuse courts, where trained staff can support victims directly.
Assessment & feedback
The exact timeframe for reducing trial delays was not specified.
Response accuracy
Q2 Partial Answer
Context
Ruby Hamill, a young activist with severe eating disorder, nearly died in a government-run prison due to the disorder being ignored.
I recently met Ruby Hamill—a young activist who nearly died in a Government-run prison when her severe eating disorder was ignored. Ruby is not a constituent; she wanted to talk to me because I chair the eating disorders all-party parliamentary group. Will the Minister meet me and Ruby’s family to ensure that there are eating disorder guidelines in all prisons, and that the guidelines are appropriate and implemented across all prison healthcare providers?
I am sorry to hear of the case that the hon. Member outlines, and I would be very happy to meet her to explore the issue further.
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Q3 Partial Answer
Jack Abbott Lab/Co-op
Ipswich
Context
A recent report by the Victims Commissioner warned that victims may give up on seeking justice due to delay, with a backlog in Ipswich Crown court doubling since 2016.
In a recent report, the Victims Commissioner said that she feared that the delay in victims getting justice “will drive some victims to give up on seeking justice altogether—a second injustice compounding the first.” This is completely unacceptable, and at Ipswich Crown court the backlog of open cases has more than doubled since 2016. What are Ministers doing to reverse the harm inflicted by the Conservatives not only on the justice system itself but on victims’ confidence that justice will be served at all?
My hon. Friend is right that we are seeing an increase in the number of victims pulling out of the process because they no longer have confidence in it because it is taking so long. We have funded an additional 4,000 sitting days this year and have asked Sir Brian Leveson to recommend once-in-a-generation reform precisely so that we can deliver swifter justice for victims.
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Q4 Partial Answer
Helen Morgan LD
North Shropshire
Context
A constituency case where one parent has abused their children and the other must pay for supervision highlights issues with the presumption of contact.
The hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Dr Tidball) raised the issue of the presumption of contact. I have a constituency case where one parent has abused their children and the other parent has had to pay for the supervision of those children. The presumption of contact is not working in cases where domestic abuse has happened, so I echo the calls from the hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge for an urgent review of it.
The hon. Member will know that a staggering 60% of cases that go through our family courts involve some form of domestic abuse or allegation thereof. That is why consideration of the operation of the presumption of contact and wider consideration of domestic abuse allegations in our family courts are so important. It is why officials and Ministers are taking the process really seriously.
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Q5 Partial Answer
Catherine Atkinson Lab
Derby North
Context
Victim Services in Derbyshire reports that many victims are needing longer-term support due to the backlog inherited from the Conservative Government.
Derbyshire Victim Services does really important work supporting victims, including those who have experienced sexual assault and domestic violence, but given the court backlog inherited from the Conservative Government, the service has told me that many of the victims are in need of support for longer, with many having complex needs that public services can struggle to meet. What steps is the Department taking to help support services to provide support to victims with complex needs that are exacerbated when justice is delayed?
I place on record my thanks to all the brilliant victim support services that do tremendous work in incredibly difficult circumstances to ensure that victims get the support they need to stay engaged with the criminal justice system. We have protected dedicated Ministry of Justice spending on victims of violence against women and girls by maintaining the 2024-25 funding levels, ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support for this year, and commissioned a 24/7 rape and sexual abuse support line, providing victims and survivors with access to vital help and information whenever they need it. We are carefully considering how best to allocate the current budget from the spending review to look specifically at VAWG alongside other departmental priorities.
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Q6 Partial Answer
Lisa Smart LD
Hazel Grove
Context
A constituent Andy often plays a caring role for his adult son with serious mental health issues and struggles to get quality information from the prison about his son’s health situation.
My constituent Andy from Offerton often plays a caring role for his adult son, as his son has serious mental ill health. During his son’s recent stay in prison, Andy struggled to get quality information from the prison about his son’s health situation and living conditions. What more will the Government do to ensure that parent carers such as Andy get the information they need and deserve during a child’s stay in prison?
The hon. Lady is right: it is important that parent carers get the information they need that helps with rehabilitation and getting things to the right place. If she wants to write to me about that particular case, I will look into it and write back to her.
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Q7 Partial Answer
Rachael Maskell Lab/Co-op
York Central
Context
Survive, a York-based charity providing specialist services and trauma-specific interventions to survivors of sexual violence and abuse, has had to close its waiting list due to capacity issues.
Survive is a York-based charity providing specialist services and trauma-specific interventions to survivors of sexual violence and abuse. However, it has had to close its waiting list because it does not have the capacity to meet the demand. Will the Minister look at providing additional funding, so that we can get those vital services to survivors and victims now and they do not have to wait?
My hon. Friend has contacted me and written to me on this issue. She will know that we in the Department are looking at the spending allocations following the spending review. However, we have protected and ringfenced special support for sexual violence victims, because we know that there is huge demand coming through the system and we need to keep those victims engaged in the criminal justice system to ensure they get their day in court and justice is served.
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Q8 Partial Answer
Juliet Campbell Lab
Broxtowe
Context
A troubling statistic shows that 30% of prisoners in the UK are diagnosed as dyslexic, and there are probably many more who are undiagnosed.
I welcome the Government’s efforts to reform sentencing following the sentencing review. I am confident that those steps will end the chaos left behind by the previous Government. I am particularly interested in rehabilitation as a priority in sentencing. A troubling statistic remains: studies have shown that 30% of prisoners in the UK are diagnosed as dyslexic, and there are probably many more who are undiagnosed, meaning that the numbers are much higher. Will the Minister tell me what steps are being taken to support dyslexic people in prison and to prevent reoffending following release?
My hon. Friend is right to emphasise the importance of rehabilitation in the panoply of things that we do in the criminal justice system. She is also right to highlight the number of prisoners and people in the criminal justice system who have dyslexia, which is one of the many neurodiverse conditions in the prison service. Every prison has a neurodiversity officer who co-ordinates activity to address that in each prison, but if she wants to write to me about the issue, I would be happy to respond in more detail.
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Q9 Partial Answer
Sarah Pochin Reform
Runcorn and Helsby
Context
There were deeply troubling revelations over the weekend about a so-called Halal bride website.
The Secretary of State will be aware of the deeply troubling revelations over the weekend of the so-called Halal bride website. Does she agree that such practices have absolutely no place in Britain?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising that important point. It is why we are reducing the threshold for the early removal scheme and the early removal order so that individuals such as those who have been found to be involved with a website such as this can be removed from our country.
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Q10 Direct Answer
John Slinger Lab
Rugby
Context
MP John Slinger visited HMP Onley, a local prison, and witnessed the work of Greene King in providing cafés and restaurants for prisoners.
When I visited HMP Onley, the nearest prison to my constituency, I had the great privilege to be given a tour by the governor, Mark Allen and to see the excellent work of the staff. I wonder whether the Secretary of State would comment on the importance of offerings by organisations and companies such as Greene King which provide cafés and restaurants so that prisoners can be rehabilitated while they are in prison.
Greene King does outstanding work, as do other organisations in our prison service. They are important partners in delivering better justice.
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Q11 Partial Answer
Gregory Stafford Con
Farnham and Bordon
Context
The Lord Chancellor rejected murderer Alan Jermey's request for open conditions, but he is now legally challenging the decision.
The Lord Chancellor rightly rejected murderer Alan Jermey’s Parole Board request for open conditions, for which his daughters and I are extremely grateful. I understand that Mr Jermey is now legally challenging the decision, so will the Lord Chancellor revisit my request for a meeting with her about this issue?
The hon. Member will know that, with a judicial challenge, there will be some constraints as to what I can say publicly, and indeed even privately in a meeting. I will take advice to ensure that nothing compromises the legal process.
Assessment & feedback
specific details of legal proceedings
Judicial Challenge
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Q12 Partial Answer
Jonathan Brash Lab
Hartlepool
Context
The Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Act 2025 has received Royal Assent, and the Member questions the role of unelected bodies in setting sentencing guidelines.
The Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Act 2025 has now received Royal Assent and I congratulate the Lord Chancellor on her swift action, but it would never have been necessary if sentencing guidelines were not the preserve of an unelected, undemocratic quango in the form of the Sentencing Council. Does she agree that we need a democratic lock, or even a vote in this place, to approve new sentencing guidelines?
I have said many times at this Dispatch Box that that whole episode revealed a democratic deficit. I am reviewing the roles and powers and we will come forward with legislative changes in due course.
Assessment & feedback
specific details of review process
Reviewing Roles And Powers
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Q13 Direct Answer
Alex Easton Ind
North Down
Context
The Member raises the tragic case of Sarah Montgomery, a young mother who died due to violence while pregnant.
In the light of the tragic loss of young mother Sarah Montgomery, who was seven months pregnant, due to violence, which has left two young girls without a mother and impacted the entire community of Donaghadee in my constituency, do the Government agree that early interventions, particularly through early education, are essential? Furthermore, can we look at intensifying our efforts to prevent domestic violence against women and young girls and at increasing sentences to deter that type of crime?
I thank the hon. Member for raising this case, which will have hit all of us incredibly hard. It is horrific and just goes to show that violence against women and girls is at epidemic levels in every corner of the United Kingdom, not just in England and Wales. I am due to meet my counterparts across the devolved nations shortly to figure out exactly how we can best join up to tackle this issue as a whole, because it will take a societal response. If the hon. Member wants to meet me to discuss this further, I would be happy to do so.
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Q14 Direct Answer
Josh Fenton-Glynn Lab
Calder Valley
Context
Pathfinder family court pilots have been successful in putting children at the centre of cases, challenging the presumption of contact.
The Minister will be aware that the recent pathfinder family court pilots have been seen as largely successful. This is an opportunity to put children at the centre of these cases and to end the presumption of contact which puts partners and children of abusers at risk. Will she please advise me as to the next steps in this process?
I welcome my hon. Friend’s question and I am grateful to him for raising the pathfinder court. These pilots are proving incredibly successful. They front-load a lot of the evidence gathering, they put the safety of children and family arrangements right at their heart, and they are proving a really successful model, which is why we plan to roll them out further. As part of that, as he has heard, we will be publishing our response to the presumption review very shortly.
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Q15 Direct Answer
Joe Robertson Con
Isle of Wight East
Context
The backlog of cases in the Isle of Wight coroner service is causing pain and distress to families waiting for over 800 days.
The backlog of cases in the Isle of Wight coroner service is the worst in the country, causing pain and distress to too many families, some of whom are waiting 800 days to find out what is happening to their loved ones. Will the Minister offer any comment or support to those families, and will she agree to meet me to discuss how we deal with the problem of the Isle of Wight coroner?
I thank the hon. Member for his engagement on this issue. He has written to me and we have had quite productive conversations about it. I recently met the chief coroner to discuss the specific issue on the Isle of Wight, because we know that the delays are causing untold turmoil to families in an already awful, traumatic process. I will happily meet the hon. Member to discuss a way forward, but I am reassured by the action being taken by the chief coroner to address the issue in the Isle of Wight directly.
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Q16 Partial Answer
Lee Dillon LD
Newbury
Context
A constituent who recently fled France due to domestic violence is facing a return order despite being in the country for only 21 days.
A constituent of mine who recently fled France because of domestic violence and abuse, after being a habitual resident for just 21 days, has been ordered to return to France next week under protective measures. What more can the Government do to protect women fleeing domestic violence in relation to the Hague convention and the Child Abduction Act 1984?
The hon. Member will know that I cannot comment on specific cases, but if he wants to write to me, I will happily look at that. I recently had productive conversations about the Hague convention and others, and we will happily develop those conversations further.
Assessment & feedback
specific case details
Cannot Comment On Specific Cases
Response accuracy