Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inquests have been recorded in each of the last five years.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes Coroner Statistics each May covering the preceding calendar year. The information is collated from data provided by each of the 81 coroner areas across England and Wales.
Data from the published statistics is set out in the table below, across all coroner areas for each of the last five years, on the total number of inquests recorded, the average length of inquests, the total number of inquests open for more than two years, and the total number of inquests suspended and not resumed. The requested information for inquests adjourned for longer than two years in England, London and Barnet only is not collated as part of the annual statistics. Table CSV included in the annual publication provides further information for adjourned inquests by coroner area.
The published statistics also record the average length of an inquest in individual coroner areas and Barnet is part of the North London Coroner area with Brent, Harrow, Haringey and Enfield. Table 13 collates this information by region.
The Ministry of Justice does not have a target for the length of time an inquest should take. Coroners are independent judicial office holders and the way they manage their caseload is a matter for them. Following the Covid-19 pandemic the Chief Coroner issued guidance to coroners on how their services can best recover and tackle backlogs that accumulated in some areas.
Regulation 26 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 require coroners to notify the Chief Coroner of any investigation which has not been completed or discontinued within a year of the death being reported to them, and provide reasons for this. They must also notify the Chief Coroner when such investigations are completed or discontinued.
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Number of inquests recorded | 36,273 | 32,762 | 31,991 | 29,969 | 29,094 |
Average length of inquest | 30 weeks | 31 weeks | 27 weeks | 27 weeks | 26 weeks |
Inquests open for more than 2 years at year end | 1,760 | 1,366 | 1,104 | 601 | 472 |
Inquests suspended due to criminal proceedings and not resumed | 748 | 729 | 599 | 849 | 834 |
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in the construction of buildings operated under its remit.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice has undertaken an initial review of all the buildings across its estate, and now has a list which require further investigation. Surveys and assessments are being undertaken, which will identify which buildings have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Mitigation and action plans from those assets containing RAAC will then be put in place.
All courts have been certified as safe, following extensive surveys and tests in line with statutory building regulations. Out of over 350 buildings in the HMCTS estate, we have identified six which contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). We are working with specialist suppliers at sites where RAAC is present to monitor each system and work towards removing the material from these sites.
His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service are working with specialist suppliers at sites where RAAC is present to monitor each system and work towards removing the material from these sites.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of pathologist’s available to assist in coroners’ services.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The shortage of pathologists to undertake coronial post-mortem examinations is a long-standing and cross-cutting issue.
I am concerned that progress should be made to address the shortage as soon as practicable and so am engaging with relevant Ministerial colleagues to identify and implement urgent action to address the complex underlying issues.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many inquests in coroners’ courts have been opened and adjourned for longer than two years in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Barnet as of 17 July 2023.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes Coroner Statistics each May covering the preceding calendar year. The information is collated from data provided by each of the 81 coroner areas across England and Wales.
Data from the published statistics is set out in the table below, across all coroner areas for each of the last five years, on the total number of inquests recorded, the average length of inquests, the total number of inquests open for more than two years, and the total number of inquests suspended and not resumed. The requested information for inquests adjourned for longer than two years in England, London and Barnet only is not collated as part of the annual statistics. Table CSV included in the annual publication provides further information for adjourned inquests by coroner area.
The published statistics also record the average length of an inquest in individual coroner areas and Barnet is part of the North London Coroner area with Brent, Harrow, Haringey and Enfield. Table 13 collates this information by region.
The Ministry of Justice does not have a target for the length of time an inquest should take. Coroners are independent judicial office holders and the way they manage their caseload is a matter for them. Following the Covid-19 pandemic the Chief Coroner issued guidance to coroners on how their services can best recover and tackle backlogs that accumulated in some areas.
Regulation 26 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 require coroners to notify the Chief Coroner of any investigation which has not been completed or discontinued within a year of the death being reported to them, and provide reasons for this. They must also notify the Chief Coroner when such investigations are completed or discontinued.
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Number of inquests recorded | 36,273 | 32,762 | 31,991 | 29,969 | 29,094 |
Average length of inquest | 30 weeks | 31 weeks | 27 weeks | 27 weeks | 26 weeks |
Inquests open for more than 2 years at year end | 1,760 | 1,366 | 1,104 | 601 | 472 |
Inquests suspended due to criminal proceedings and not resumed | 748 | 729 | 599 | 849 | 834 |
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has he made of the effectiveness of the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme on sexual offence sentences.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme provides a valuable way to ensure that sentences for serious crimes, including certain sexual offences, can be challenged if perceived to be unduly lenient. In November 2019, the government extended the scheme to include further sexual offences – such as those involving indecent images of children and abusing a position of trust with a child – stalking, harassment and coercive or controlling behaviour. In 2021, sentences for sexual offences represented over a third of all cases referred to the Court of Appeal.
In 2021, 66% of sentences for sexual offences referred by the Attorney General were increased.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Independent Sexual Violence Advisers have been recruited by his Department since 19 October 2022.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The MoJ provides ringfenced funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), and we are committed to increasing the number of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) by 300, to over 1,000, by 2024/25 – a 43% increase on the number of ISVAs and IDVAs over this spending review period (2022/23 to 2024/25 inclusive).
The MoJ is currently providing funding for 900 ISVA and IDVA posts. PCCs also use their ‘core’ funding and ringfenced Domestic Abuse/Sexual Violence funding to recruit and retain additional posts.
PCCs report bi-annually to the MoJ in line with commissioning arrangements. The latest information we hold covers the period 1 April to 30 September 2022 and therefore does not cover the period requested. End of year data is currently being collated.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report prepared for the Home Office by Analytics Cambridge and QE Assessments Ltd entitled Domestic Homicide Reviews: Quantitative Analysis of Domestic Homicide Reviews October 2020 – September 2021, published in June 2022, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the severity of punishments for domestic homicide.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
In March 2023 this government published the independent Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review and announced that we will be changing the law so that sentencing reflects the severity of these crimes. We will introduce statutory aggravating factors to increase sentences for murderers with a history of controlling or coercive behaviour against the victim, and for murders involving ‘overkill’ which is the use of excessive or gratuitous violence beyond that necessary to kill. Building on our ban of the ‘rough sex defence’ in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, we also want to see longer sentences for perpetrators of so-called rough sex manslaughter and have requested that the Sentencing Council update their guidelines so that the courts can impose a higher sentence in these circumstances.
The Review makes a number of other recommendations which we are carefully considering, and our full response will be published before summer recess.
The Home Office commission the 'Quantitative Analysis of Domestic Homicide Reviews’ (DHR) reports by QE Assessments Ltd to share learning and insights from the DHR process. The cases reviewed in the QE Assessments report are likely to also feature in the cases reviewed by Clare Wade KC in the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on punishments for domestic homicide of the paper entitled Quantitative Analysis of Domestic Homicide Reviews October 2020 to September 2021, published on 12 April 2023.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
In March 2023 this government published the independent Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review and announced that we will be changing the law so that sentencing reflects the severity of these crimes. We will introduce statutory aggravating factors to increase sentences for murderers with a history of controlling or coercive behaviour against the victim, and for murders involving ‘overkill’ which is the use of excessive or gratuitous violence beyond that necessary to kill. Building on our ban of the ‘rough sex defence’ in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, we also want to see longer sentences for perpetrators of so-called rough sex manslaughter and have requested that the Sentencing Council update their guidelines so that the courts can impose a higher sentence in these circumstances.
The Review makes a number of other recommendations which we are carefully considering, and our full response will be published before summer recess.
The Home Office commission the 'Quantitative Analysis of Domestic Homicide Reviews’ (DHR) reports by QE Assessments Ltd to share learning and insights from the DHR process. The cases reviewed in the QE Assessments report are likely to also feature in the cases reviewed by Clare Wade KC in the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy to introduce restrictions in prisons on people convicted of terrorist offences to help prevent them from exploiting a role in (a) conducting religious services and (b) speaking at communal events to build authority and ideological influence over other offenders.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We take a robust approach to managing terrorist risk in prisons and look to constantly improve our approach. We have recently tightened our rules to ensure that prisoners convicted of terrorist offences are not permitted to hold any formal or leading role in religious worship. These changes strengthen our response to terrorist offenders seeking to use prison as a place to spread their extremist ideology.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the roll-out of body worn cameras for staff on the prison estate.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The roll-out of body worn video cameras to all prison officers on duty in public sector prisons was completed in March 2023. The roll-out has more than doubled the availability of cameras to staff, enabling every band 3-5 operational member of staff on shift to wear one.
We will be assessing the impact of the cameras over the next year.