Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the gross annual income threshold for exemption from Office of the Public Guardian deputyship fees remaining unchanged for several years on people with incomes close to that threshold.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is in the early stages of reviewing criteria for exemption and remission of fees, including in relation to the gross annual income threshold for a 50% remission of fees. Any proposed changes to current processes will require an SI amendment to the Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) Regulations 2007.
The regulations currently allow for a 100% exemption of fees in relation to the supervision of deputyships, if the protected person is in receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits, including Employment Support Allowance. This exemption applies regardless of the protected person’s income.
If the protected person is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, they may nonetheless qualify for a 50% remission of fees if their annual income does not exceed £12,000. Furthermore, if the deputy can provide evidence that paying a fee would result in undue hardship for the protected person, then the Public Guardian can exceptionally reduce or remit the fee.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons use companion dogs.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
We understand this question to refer to “pets as therapy” (PAT) dogs. This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Application for the use of PAT dogs is open to all prisons, with admittance requiring the authority of the Governor.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the provisions in Part Two of the Sentencing Bill on victims of domestic abuse.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Sentencing Bill includes a range of measures that will strengthen protections for victims of domestic abuse and ensure the justice system responds robustly to offending. These measures will help to ensure that prisons never run out of space again and dangerous offenders can be kept off the streets.
We are introducing a new judicial finding of domestic abuse at sentencing, which will help ensure domestic abuse offenders are better identified and monitored throughout the system. This will support stronger protections for victims, whether the perpetrator is in custody or in the community.
The Bill also retains a different release point for the most serious violent and sexual offenders and gives judges full discretion to impose immediate custody in cases involving significant risk of harm to an individual – including to protect victims of domestic abuse. In addition, we are imposing tough restriction zones for serious sexual and violent offenders, which limit the movement of perpetrators rather than victims.
These reforms are part of our wider commitment to a justice system that punishes offenders, protects the public, and supports victims – including those affected by domestic abuse.