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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 31 Oct 2017
Oral Answers to Questions

"T2. Why are the Government planning to give security companies and bailiffs the power of arrest, because that will be the result of privatising the collection of court fees? A petition opposing those plans has been signed by 16,000 people because they do not believe that either 150 jobs, or …..."
Lord Austin of Dudley - View Speech

View all Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Written Question
Children: Secure Accommodation
Monday 11th September 2017

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many court orders for children to be held securely have been made in each year since 2010.

Answered by Dominic Raab

There are two groups of children who may be held securely, in two jurisdictions.
In the family court, a care and supervision order may be made, data in table 4 at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/family-court-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2017

In the youth justice estate, the relevant figures are “Total immediate custody” from Table 5.3 of the annual statistics 2015 to 2016: supplementary tables and the “Total custodial remands” from Table 6.1 of the same supplementary tables at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2015-to-2016


Written Question
Claims Management Services: Regulation
Friday 28th October 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which Minister of her Department has responsibility for claims management company regulation.

Answered by Oliver Heald

The Secretary of State is the minister responsible for claims management regulation.


Written Question
Claims Management Services
Friday 28th October 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Government plans to publish the outcome of its consultation on capping the fees charged to consumers by claims management companies.

Answered by Oliver Heald

Information on the number of people who have lost more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company (CMC) handling their claim is not held centrally.

Our priority is to protect consumers who choose to use CMCs. We have consulted on proposals to cap the level of fees that CMCs providing financial claims services can charge consumers. These proposals aim to help consumers get more of the compensation due to them. We are carefully considering the consultation responses and the Government will publish its response in due course.


Written Question
Claims Management Services
Friday 28th October 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress her Department has made on reducing costs for consumers in making financial claims.

Answered by Oliver Heald

Information on the number of people who have lost more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company (CMC) handling their claim is not held centrally.

Our priority is to protect consumers who choose to use CMCs. We have consulted on proposals to cap the level of fees that CMCs providing financial claims services can charge consumers. These proposals aim to help consumers get more of the compensation due to them. We are carefully considering the consultation responses and the Government will publish its response in due course.


Written Question
Claims Management Services
Friday 28th October 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of people who have paid more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company handling their claim in each of the last three years; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent those companies from taking commission of more than 24 per cent.

Answered by Oliver Heald

Information on the number of people who have lost more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company (CMC) handling their claim is not held centrally.

Our priority is to protect consumers who choose to use CMCs. We have consulted on proposals to cap the level of fees that CMCs providing financial claims services can charge consumers. These proposals aim to help consumers get more of the compensation due to them. We are carefully considering the consultation responses and the Government will publish its response in due course.


Written Question
Domestic Abuse
Wednesday 9th March 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to ensure that the minutes and details of any actions resulting from a Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference are shared with National Probation Service staff.

Answered by Andrew Selous

The Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) chair or coordinator for each local authority area is responsible for scheduling meetings and notifying partners (including the National Probation Service (NPS)) of cases that are to be discussed. A representative of the NPS attends any meetings where offenders subject to NPS supervision are to be discussed.


Written Question
Domestic Abuse
Wednesday 9th March 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will ensure that relevant National Probation Service staff attend Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences.

Answered by Andrew Selous

The Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) chair or coordinator for each local authority area is responsible for scheduling meetings and notifying partners (including the National Probation Service (NPS)) of cases that are to be discussed. A representative of the NPS attends any meetings where offenders subject to NPS supervision are to be discussed.


Written Question
Domestic Abuse
Wednesday 9th March 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases of repeat domestic abuse were dealt with by courts in each of the last six years.

Answered by Caroline Dinenage

This information is not held centrally.


Written Question
Probation: Domestic Abuse
Wednesday 9th March 2016

Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Community Rehabilitation Company and the National Probation Service work effectively together in dealing with domestic abuse offending.

Answered by Andrew Selous

The National Probation Service (NPS) Service Level Agreement and the contracts with the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) make clear the importance of effective co-operation between the NPS and CRCs: there are mandatory local and national processes and structures in place to manage cases and to arrange transfer from the CRC to the NPS where there is an escalation of risk.