Topical Questions 2025-01-28
2025-01-28
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Three individuals were recently sentenced at Bradford Crown court for raping children, receiving sentences considered too lenient. Two defendants absconded abroad.
Two weeks ago, three grooming gang members were sentenced at Bradford Crown court for the most appalling rapes of children but received only six, seven and nine-year sentences respectively. Does the Secretary of State agree that those sentences are disgracefully short? Will she commit to using the sentencing review to mandate full life sentences for these evil people? If she will, she will have our support.
We have a shared objective in making sure that these evil individuals feel the full force of the law. I will not comment on individual sentencing decisions, and the shadow Lord Chancellor might wish to reflect on that decision; it is not appropriate to do so, given our collective commitment to the independence of the judiciary. However, as I said in response to earlier questions, we will legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor, and this Government will make sure that victims get the justice they deserve.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment to full life sentences for these offenders
Not Appropriate
Independence Of Judiciary
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Two defendants in a recent Bradford Crown court case absconded abroad, raising concerns about the government's efforts to locate these individuals.
I have written to the Attorney General asking him to review those sentences as potentially unduly lenient. Two of the men who were sentenced at Bradford Crown court for grooming gang offences are thought to have absconded abroad. Can the Justice Secretary confirm how many grooming gang defendants the Government is currently pursuing overseas and what efforts are being made by the Government with, in this case, the Pakistani authorities to locate these evil men?
I will happily write to the right hon. Gentleman with details on the specific case that he raises. He is right to say that we have international agreements and arrangements with other jurisdictions to ensure that offenders can be brought back to face justice in this country. I am sure that those arrangements are being applied appropriately, but I will make sure that he gets a fuller answer on the case that he has raised.
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Assessment & feedback
Details on specific cases and extradition efforts
Write To The Right Hon. Gentleman
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a sanctioned warlord, used frozen funds to make legal threats against a British journalist. The enablers of this activity were ruled as not breaking any rules.
Today we learned that Yevgeny Prigozhin, a sanctioned warlord, used frozen funds to make legal threats to silence a British journalist and the enablers of lawfare tactics have gone unpunished. Can the Minister outline what steps the Government are taking to create a tough deterrent against harmful lawfare tactics, particularly when they are deployed by insidious individuals like Prigozhin?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question and for the campaigning work that he is doing in this area. Journalism is the lifeblood of democracy, and strategic lawsuits against public participation represent an abuse of the legal system; they are used by those with deep pockets to harass and silence journalism. Such behaviour is intolerable. My focus, and the focus of this Government, will be on the implementation of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 72023, which introduced an early dismissal mechanism and cost protection for SLAPP defendants.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific actions against harmful lawfare tactics
Focus On Legislation
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The Law Commission made recommendations two years ago to clarify the law regarding humanist marriages, but there is no timetable for action.
Humanist marriage has been legal in Scotland for 20 years but continues to wait to be legalised in England and Wales. The Law Commission made recommendations two years ago on clarifying the law but when asked to set out a timetable for action, the Minister in the other place could only respond, “in the fullness of time.” Can the Minister set out the timetable or, alternatively, say when the Government will make an order to end the long wait for humanist marriage?
I understand that humanists have been campaigning for legally binding humanist weddings. The Government are committed to strengthening the rights and protections available, particularly for women in cohabiting couples. We will look at the Law Commission’s work and publish our response in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific timeline or order
Due Course
Response accuracy
Q5
Direct Answer
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Context
The Court of Appeal overturned a first-instance decision regarding the anonymity of a judge in the Sara Sharif case. Jake Richards raises concerns about maintaining open justice principles.
Last week, the Court of Appeal overturned a first-instance decision regarding the anonymity of a judge who presided over the tragic Sara Sharif case in the family courts. I do not expect the Minister to comment on individual cases, and it is certainly not about that individual judge, but will the Government use this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to open justice and press freedom?
As my hon. Friend rightly says, I cannot comment on that specific case, but we adhere to the principle of open justice and transparency in our legal system. That is why we have the publication of sentencing remarks and transcripts, and the broadcasting of many of our hearings, so that the public can see exactly how justice in this country is administered.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The Attorney General has recused himself from advising the Government, but refuses to be transparent about potential payments by former clients.
T6. We know that the Attorney General has recused himself from advising the Government, but he will not tell us what for, and he still refuses to be transparent about potential payments by former clients. Does the Secretary of State for Justice really not believe that the public have a right to know?
The hon. Lady should know there are robust processes in place in government to manage conflict of interest, which were in place under the previous Administration as well, but this is not something that any Government Minister will be giving a running commentary on.
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Assessment & feedback
did not directly address the right to know about payments or recusal reasons
Robust Processes In Place
Response accuracy
Q7
Direct Answer
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Context
The CCRC chair was recently removed, raising concerns about the process of appointing new leadership.
We have just witnessed the chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission being prised out of her job, six months after the Secretary of State described her as unable to fulfil her duties. When will a new chair be appointed, and will this be accompanied by a wider review of the CCRC, to restore confidence in that damaged organisation?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that we need to restore confidence in the CCRC. That is why we are taking the decision not only to appoint an interim chair to steady the ship but, more importantly, to implement the recommendations of the Henley review so that we can restore confidence in this important institution, particularly in the light of the appalling miscarriage of justice in the case of Andrew Malkinson.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q8
Direct Answer
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Context
There are significant delays in the courts and throughout the justice system due to time required for downloading and analyzing digital evidence.
With an ever-increasing prison population and monumental delays being experienced in the courts and throughout the justice system, what steps is the Secretary of State taking to address the significant delays that arise from the period of time required to download and analyse digital material?
The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. We believe that much more can be achieved through the increased use of AI and other digital technology to speed up some of the paper processes that create delays across the criminal justice system. As chair of the Criminal Justice Board, I have asked for a cross-system criminal justice response on this and I will update the House in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q9
Direct Answer
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Context
Campaigners are calling for a national oversight mechanism to ensure lessons are learned from state-related deaths.
No doubt we all agree that preventable deaths should be prevented, and tragedies like Hillsborough and Grenfell must not be repeated because we fail to make changes, so what consideration has the Secretary of State given to creating a national oversight mechanism to ensure that lessons are learned from every state-related death?
The Government will shortly be publishing the Bill that campaigners refer to as the Hillsborough law, which will reflect issues relating to the duty of candour, which this Government are committed to, and I know that campaigners are making representations to the Home Office on the national oversight mechanism that it is currently considering.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q10
Partial Answer
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Context
There are concerns about the police and CPS denying access to evidence after a trial has concluded, which impacts on defense lawyers' ability to appeal.
Can the Secretary of State explain to the House in what circumstances the police and the Crown Prosecution Service are allowed to deny access to evidence, after a trial has concluded, to a defence lawyer who is seeking to appeal, as has happened in the Lucy Letby case and, I believe, in others?
The right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that, as Justice Secretary, I am not able to interfere in any independent decisions made by the police or the Crown Prosecution Service, but he has made his point and I will ensure that it is dealt with by the appropriate individuals—either the Home Secretary or the head of the CPS.
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Assessment & feedback
did not directly address denial circumstances
Not Able To Interfere
Response accuracy
Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
There are serious questions about transparency regarding when the Prime Minister was informed of key information related to Rudakubana's possession of ricin and an al-Qaeda training manual.
There are serious questions about the transparency of the police, the CPS and the Government in the days and weeks following the Southport attack. In written answers to me, the Government have refused to provide the dates when the Prime Minister was told that Rudakubana possessed ricin and an al-Qaeda training manual. Can the Justice Secretary tell me why?
The Prime Minister has responded to the other questions that have been raised. The appropriate information was made available at the appropriate time to either the Prime Minister or the Home Secretary. It was right that the Government did not give any commentary that could have collapsed the trial. On the specific charge relating to ricin, that decision required Law Officer approval, which was sought and immediately given.
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Assessment & feedback
did not provide the dates when informed
Responded To Other Questions
Appropriate Time
Response accuracy
Q12
Direct Answer
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Context
The Sara Sharif case highlights the need for a review of the presumption in favour of parental contact despite safeguarding concerns.
I know that the Justice Secretary is aware of the tragic case of my constituent Sara Sharif. Will she consider reforming family courts and ending the presumption in favour of parental contact despite the fact that there were safeguarding concerns?
That case of that little girl, Sara Sharif, is one of the most tragic of recent times, and I know that that view is shared right across the House. That is why a safeguarding review is under way to look at all the agencies that were involved and should have been protecting that little girl from those who ended up killing her. We are looking at the presumption: there is a review, and we will consider the findings of that review and publish our response in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q13
Partial Answer
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Context
A British citizen facing return to Poland due to domestic abuse, despite being barred from contacting her.
My constituent, who is a British citizen and the mother of two young children, faces the prospect of being forced to return to Poland to accompany those children under the Hague convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction, having fled escalating domestic abuse. If she does, her inability to speak the language or work will leave her entirely dependent on her abuser, even though he is barred from contacting her. Will the Minister work with me to ensure that domestic abuse is explicitly recognised as a valid defence against return orders of this type?
I thank the hon. Lady for her question, and I invite her to write to me about that specific case, which sounds like it throws up a very difficult set of factual circumstances that I would like the opportunity to consider.
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Assessment & feedback
did not explicitly address Hague convention reform
Difficult Set Of Factual Circumstances
Response accuracy