Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows the publication of a youth justice White Paper and the government's goal to halve knife crime within a decade. It references local police efforts in Aylesbury and concerns about root causes like poverty.
I welcome the Government's knife crime strategy, with its ambitious goal of halving knife crime in a decade, and its recognition that serious violence is both a criminal justice issue and a social failure. I commend Thames Valley police on their hard work to tackle knife crime in Aylesbury and the villages. We have seen some really good measures, such as the knife crime amnesty bins, which have had a positive effect. As the Secretary of State knows, the challenge of knife crime starts with its root causes, which include poverty and a lack of opportunity for young people. We still struggle with that in Aylesbury and the villages. What more is the Secretary of State doing across Government to address these two root causes?
I agree that poverty, exclusion and a lack of opportunity are all root causes of crime. Our youth justice White Paper focuses on intervening earlier to address risks before they escalate, working across Government to tackle the root causes of crime, and ensuring that every child has the support and opportunities that they need to thrive.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific actions or commitments beyond general principles.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from the need to evaluate past measures against current increases in knife crime. It specifically asks about the effectiveness of knife amnesties.
Has the Secretary of State established the success or otherwise of knife amnesties introduced by previous Administrations in reducing knife crime, given the prevalence—and increase—of knife crime in many large urban centres across the country?
The hon. Gentleman is right that there is a role for knife amnesties. As it happens, I was out last week in Deptford looking at a knife amnesty programme. If he looks at the first item on my Instagram, he will see me doing that.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address effectiveness of past programmes; instead referenced personal activities.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows a statistic indicating that last year, over 6,000 knife criminals were imprisoned with an average sentence of eight months. The focus is on the government's policy change regarding sentences under one year and its implications.
Last year, 6,397 knife criminals were sent to prison, and the average sentence was just over eight months. As the Government scrapped almost all sentences of less than a year, will the Justice Secretary say very clearly whether he expects as many knife criminals to go to jail next year as did last year?
The outrage under the last Government was watching knife crime go up year on year, while the hon. Gentleman was sitting in the Home Office—
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address the question; attacked the previous government and MP.
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The question builds on a previous statement and references the Justice Secretary's White Paper. It focuses on policies that would reduce imprisonment rates for adult criminals, questioning the government's approach.
What the Justice Secretary just said about the record of the last Government was factually untrue, and he should withdraw it. He does not want to admit it, but it is his policy to send fewer knife criminals to jail. That is why he just said what he did. His White Paper was announced yesterday, and buried in it, on page 46—he can read it again—is his plan to not just go soft on young criminals, but make others, including vulnerable adults and young adults…subject to a different process. That is wrong. Can the Justice Secretary rule out weaker sentences, and a target of reducing imprisonment rates for any adult criminals?
The hon. Gentleman left us with a prison capacity crisis. The last Government had success in reducing the number of young people in prison—he knows it, and the record is there—and I worked with Michael Gove and David Cameron as they set out on that mission. The strategy we published yesterday puts public protection first. There will always be young people who have to be in custody, but we are determined to reduce the number of young people on remand in particular by working with the most vulnerable.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not directly address whether fewer offenders would go to jail or receive softer sentences; shifted focus to previous government's actions.
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows a reference to the Justice Secretary's White Paper and addresses concerns about its impact on sentencing for adult criminals, focusing on softer sentences.
What the Justice Secretary just said about the record of the last Government was factually untrue, and he should withdraw it. He does not want to admit it, but it is his policy to send fewer knife criminals to jail. That is why he just said what he did. His White Paper was announced yesterday, and buried in it, on page 46—he can read it again—is his plan to not just go soft on young criminals, but make others, including vulnerable adults and young adults…subject to a different process. That is wrong. Can the Justice Secretary rule out weaker sentences, and a target of reducing imprisonment rates for any adult criminals?
The hon. Gentleman left us with a prison capacity crisis. The last Government had success in reducing the number of young people in prison—he knows it, and the record is there—and I worked with Michael Gove and David Cameron as they set out on that mission. The strategy we published yesterday puts public protection first. There will always be young people who have to be in custody, but we are determined to reduce the number of young people on remand in particular by working with the most vulnerable.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address whether fewer offenders would go to jail or receive softer sentences; shifted focus to previous government's actions and prison capacity issues.
Response accuracy