Prison Sentences
Question
What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the extension to the unduly lenient sentence scheme?
Answer
The unduly lenient sentence scheme was extended to incorporate further serious offences, in November of last year.
The horrendous crime of stalking involving serious alarm or distress was one of the offences which was added.
I am pleased to tell the House that this extension meant I was able to refer a case recently to the Court of Appeal, one in which the sentence of the offender was more than doubled.
Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP, Solicitor General
5th November 2020
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
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Courts: Coronavirus
Question
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that courts operate effectively during the covid-19 outbreak?
Answer
Progress against the HMCTS recovery plan published on 1 July is already well underway to reduce outstanding cases and to get our operating capacity as close as possible to pre-Covid levels.
We are investing record amounts, with £153m to improve court and tribunal buildings – the biggest single investment in court estate maintenance for more than 20 years. We’ve also opened 14 Nightingale Courts and over 240 jury courtrooms, while Magistrates’ Courts have been completing more cases than they are receiving.
We’ve piloted Covid Operating hours at the Crown Court in Liverpool and several other crown courts. I’m also pleased the number of hearings across the civil, family and tribunal jurisdictions is also increasing.
Chris Philp MP, Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts
3rd November 2020
Click here to see the answer on the Parliament website
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Prisoners On Remand: Video Conferencing
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when HM Courts and Tribunals Service plans to take on the operation of virtual remand hearings from court premises as police forces return to their usual duties?
Answer
Awaiting response.
Submitted 3rd November 2020