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Written Question
Road Traffic Offences: Mobile Phones
Monday 12th December 2016

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have been prosecuted or cautioned for using a mobile phone whilst driving in each year since 2010.

Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)

The number of offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for using or causing others to use a mobile phone while driving, in England and Wales, from 2010 to 2015 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.

Offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for using or causing others to use a mobile phone while driving (1), England and wales, 2010 to 2015 (2)(3)

Outcome

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Cautioned

-

-

-

-

-

-

Proceeded against

35,255

31,390

24,414

19,650

17,431

17,586

'-' = Nil

(1) Offences under RR 110 (1) - 110 (3) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of or been cautioned for two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

This information can be found in the Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: December 2015 publication, which is available on gov.uk.


Written Question
Prisons: Drugs
Monday 5th December 2016

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which individuals and organisations were consulted prior to the publication of the Ministry of Justice's White Paper <i>Prison Safety and Reform</i>, with particular regard to the formulation of drug policy.

Answered by Lord Henley

Prior to the publication of the White Paper we consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, both within and outside of government. Drug policy proposals were developed with the Home Office, Department of Health, NHS England and Public Health England, as well as prison governors and local health commissioners.

We will continue to consult with a range of stakeholders as we further develop and implement policy.


Written Question
Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders
Wednesday 28th September 2016

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders have been (1) applied for, and (2) granted, since the Serious Crime Act 2015 came into force.

Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)

Statistics on Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders are available on gov.uk. Up to 31 March 2016, 60 applications had been submitted, and 46 Orders had been made.


Written Question
Female Genital Mutilation
Wednesday 21st September 2016

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many applications have been made for legal aid that relate to female genital mutilation.

Answered by Baroness Mobarik

Up to 31 March 2016, 50 applications had been made for legal aid that can be identified as relating to female genital mutilation. This includes all applications for civil legal representation in proceedings concerning Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders. There may be other legally-aided cases involving issues related to female genital mutilation that cannot be identified from the information recorded by the Legal Aid Agency.


Written Question
Female Genital Mutilation: Prosecutions
Wednesday 21st September 2016

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prosecutions for female genital mutilation have been taken, or are pending, under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 in each year from 2005 to date.

Answered by Baroness Mobarik

There has been one prosecution under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 since it came into force.

The Crown Prosecution Service is unable to report data on pre-charge decisions by offence, because the applicable offence(s) are only confirmed when a defendant is charged and the case proceeds to a first hearing in court.


Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 02 Mar 2016
European Union Referendum (Date of Referendum etc.) Regulations 2016

"My Lords, after just over six hours of debate, I think we have seen your Lordships’ House at its best. Perhaps unusually for a debate of this length in this House, as the evening has drawn on, the speeches have got livelier, there have been more interventions and the debate …..."
Baroness Smith of Basildon - View Speech

View all Baroness Smith of Basildon (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: European Union Referendum (Date of Referendum etc.) Regulations 2016

Written Question
Driving Offences: Mobile Phones
Wednesday 25th March 2015

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have been prosecuted or cautioned for using a mobile phone whilst driving in each year since 2010 in (1) Essex, (2) Kent, and (3) London.

Answered by Lord Faulks

The offence of using a mobile phone while driving is serious, risks harm to others and is wholly unacceptable.

The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of offences related to using a mobile phone while driving, in selected police force areas from 2010 to 2013 (the latest available) can be viewed in the following table.

Criminal court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in May 2015

Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of offences related to driving while using a mobile phone (1), in selected police force areas, 2010 to 2013 (2)(3)(4)

Police Force Area

Outcome

2010

2011

2012

2013

Essex

Proceeded against

2,301

1,663

1,076

1,433

Found guilty

2,160

1,567

997

1,359

Kent

Proceeded against

1,205

886

561

376

Found guilty

1,135

842

519

340

City of London (5)

Proceeded against

196

208

-

-

Found guilty

169

189

-

-

Metropolitan Police

Proceeded against

10,013

9,341

8,134

6,148

Found guilty

9,311

8,685

7,244

5,210

(1) Offences under RR 110 (1) - 110 (3) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

(4) The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded against as the proceedings in the magistrates' court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown Court in the following year; or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against.

(5) City of London Local Justice Area abolished on 31 December 2011, and merged into Central London Local Justice Area. These data recorded under Metropolitan Police henceforth

Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Ref: PQC HL5624


Written Question
Driving Offences: Mobile Phones
Tuesday 24th February 2015

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have been prosecuted or cautioned for using a mobile phone whilst driving in each year since 2010.

Answered by Lord Faulks

Driving offences can have very serious consequences for victims and their families.

Using a mobile phone while driving is dangerous and irresponsible. That is why in 2013 we increased the fixed penalty notice for this offence from £60 to £100 and we are now looking at the effectiveness of the penalty.

We will continue to tackle the minority of drivers who pose a danger to other road users.

The number of offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates’ courts for offences related to using mobile phones while driving in England and Wales from 2009 to 2013 can be viewed in the table. No cautions have been issued for any summary motoring offence as police practice is to use Fixed Penalty Notices instead.

Offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences related to driving while using a mobile phone (1), England and Wales, 2009 to 2013 (2)(3)
20092010201120122013
Cautioned-----
Proceeded against32,57135,25531,39024,41419,650
'-' = Nil
(1) Offences under RR 110 (1) - 110 (3) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986
(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of or been cautrioned for two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.
Ref: PQ HL 4900

Cautions and court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in May 2015.


Speech in Grand Committee - Thu 11 Dec 2014
Female Genital Mutilation

"My Lords, I associate myself with the tributes paid to the noble Baroness, Lady Rendell, first, for giving us the opportunity to have what has been a very thoughtful debate on this issue and, secondly, for her tireless campaigning on an issue that—let us be honest—is so awful that most …..."
Baroness Smith of Basildon - View Speech

View all Baroness Smith of Basildon (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Female Genital Mutilation

Speech in Grand Committee - Thu 11 Dec 2014
Female Genital Mutilation

"I am not talking about prosecutions—I am talking about the FGM orders that are currently civil orders that the Government have placed within criminal law to keep all FGM legislation the same. It is a very different process from prosecuting afterwards.

My second point is that we wanted these FGM …..."

Baroness Smith of Basildon - View Speech

View all Baroness Smith of Basildon (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Female Genital Mutilation