Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and Mike Freer

Tuesday 12th September 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mike Freer)]

Across the whole tribunal process, the team will constantly monitor who is performing and who is not, and will share best practice. If the hon. Lady would like to write to me with the details of a particular case, I can investigate the particular cause of delay.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

T7.   Parliament passed a law in 2015 that offenders convicted of a second or subsequent knife offence should go to prison, yet in the year to March, 16,000 such offenders—37% of the total—dodged a jail sentence altogether. That is the highest total since the law was introduced. Will Ministers ensure that the courts now hand down the sentences legislated for in this House eight years ago?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and Mike Freer

Tuesday 27th June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mike Freer]

The tribunals are operationally independent, of course, but I would be more than happy to investigate the case that the hon. Gentleman mentions and see whether there are any issues causing the delay.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

14. If he will take steps to negotiate prisoner transfer arrangements similar to those agreed with Albania with other countries.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and Mike Freer

Tuesday 16th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

T6.   How many probate cases are awaiting a decision for seven weeks or more, and what is the Minister doing to speed up the decision-making process?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mike Freer)]

The number is roughly 9,135, which is about 15% of the backlog. The cases for which all the documentation has been received will take six to eight weeks to complete. We have recruited 100 additional members of staff to ensure that we can clear the more complex cases, as we realise that the issuing of probate is important.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and Mike Freer

Tuesday 22nd November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

1. What the average waiting time is for a social security benefits tribunal hearing in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mike Freer)]

Between April and June 2022, the average waiting time for benefits appeals in Northamptonshire was 46 weeks. In England it was 28 weeks. Waiting times can fluctuate due to a number of factors, including volumes of benefit decisions made locally, the complexity of the case, the availability of panel members and venue capacity.

[Mr Hollobone]

When I asked the same question three years ago, the figures were 21 weeks for Northamptonshire and 33 weeks across England. While there has been improvement across the country as a whole, clearly things are going backwards quite severely in Northamptonshire. Does the Minister share my concern that this is clearly an unacceptable situation, and will he outline plans to tackle it?

[Mike Freer]

My hon. Friend is spot on: it is not acceptable that his area is going backwards. I have commissioned officials to report in detail on the exact problems affecting his area, and I will report to him in the next four to six weeks.