Topical Questions

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If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. The MP noted recent disruptions in criminal courts due to strike action and asked for an update on the Secretary of State's actions and priorities.

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Ten years since the abolition of the IPP, nearly 3,000 people are still in prison serving indeterminate sentences. The report calls for legislation to resentence prisoners subject to IPP sentences. Will the Secretary of State act on this recommendation?

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Funding is available for the scheme so that constituents can have confidence in their safety. Can he assure me of this funding?

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Will the Justice Secretary update on discussions regarding more use of virtual proceedings and a full funding package to modernise courts? Does he agree this needs urgent implementation?

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Is there anything in the Human Rights Act or the convention on refugees that stops us from sending illegal migrants straight back to our sovereign military base in Cyprus?

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Is this justice? What message does it send to women and girls across England and Wales?

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May I seek assurances that this collaborative work between MOJ and DWP will continue?

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Before shelving the Bill of Rights, my predecessor attempted to exclude the Government from the protections on free speech. Does the current Justice Secretary agree that if the Bill returns in some form at a later date, the Government should not seek to impose on others rules they are unwilling to accept themselves?

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We cannot get a grip on the small boats crisis without reforming the Human Rights Act. What is the Government's plan?

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My constituency has been hit by a spate of drugs and knife crime. Given current justice backlogs caused by Conservative Governments closing courts since 2010, what reassurances can the Secretary of State give that victims will not have to wait up to four years for their day in court?

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Stoke-on-Trent has been affected by drugs, particularly monkey dust. I am calling for monkey dust to be reclassified as a class A drug. Will my hon. Friend update the House on what action the Government are taking to increase penalties for trading in these drugs?

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The criminal, family, and probate courts are all seeing backlogs. One constituent's divorce case was moved to Suffolk due to the London housing situation. What action is being taken to increase the pace of dealing with such cases?

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Colin Pitchfork, a double child killer and rapist, was recently released despite his case being referred back to the Parole Board. The Government committed to reviewing the parole system in March. Will the Minister update on progress so such cases do not happen again?

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I have repeatedly raised the anguish of constituents whose children were murdered in the Manchester Arena terror attack. Despite multiple promises, no legislative change has been made to allow families to register their children's death under current law. Why?

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Why has it still not happened since three and a half years ago that my Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 required the Secretary of State to prepare a report on how the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 could be amended?

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Will the new team look at the way we handle miscarriages of justice in this country? Will they look at the report from the all-party group on miscarriages of justice, which is chaired by me and the Chair of the Justice Committee, the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Sir Robert Neill), and help us to reform the way in which we treat miscarriages of justice?

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Is that still the Government's position and, if so, how will they stop their next attempt also being a complete mess?

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Would the Minister join me in encouraging both the Prison Service and the Parole Board to engage with local communities so that they can understand what they do to make sure local communities are kept as safe as possible?