Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the (a) shortest, (b) median and (b) longest time taken by the Office of the Public Guardian to process a cancellation request for an existing Lasting Power of Attorney in 2025.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) keeps its performance targets under regular review to ensure they remain appropriate and aligned with demand and operational capacity. The performance metrics focus on the registration of new Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) and the discharge of statutory responsibilities. OPG already operates published targets for the registration of LPAs, with performance reported annually.
In 2024–25, the average processing times for LPAs and Enduring Powers of Attorney reduced significantly to 49 working days, down from 76 working days in 2023–24. This improvement reflects sustained efforts to clear a backlog of applications. Amendments to, and cancellations of, existing LPAs vary in complexity, and their timeliness is monitored through internal performance management arrangements. The organisation does not collect or publish detailed operational data on the processing times for deeds of revocation. While OPG aims to process such requests within 15 working days of receipt, it does not record individual clearance times for these cases. As a result, the shortest, median and longest processing times for cancellation requests in 2025 cannot be provided.
Existing guidance on GOV.UK explains the process for revoking an LPA, including the requirement for a donor to complete a Deed of Revocation in the prescribed form. OPG keeps its published guidance under regular review. While OPG does not currently publish specific guidance on the precise legal point at which an LPA is considered revoked, the legal position is set out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), an LPA is revoked once the donor has executed a valid Deed of Revocation and notified OPG. OPG will continue to review its guidance to ensure it remains clear, accessible and aligned with statutory requirements.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will instruct the Office of the Public Guardian to publish guidance on the point at which a signed Deed of Revocation of a Last Power of Attorney is revoked.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) keeps its performance targets under regular review to ensure they remain appropriate and aligned with demand and operational capacity. The performance metrics focus on the registration of new Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) and the discharge of statutory responsibilities. OPG already operates published targets for the registration of LPAs, with performance reported annually.
In 2024–25, the average processing times for LPAs and Enduring Powers of Attorney reduced significantly to 49 working days, down from 76 working days in 2023–24. This improvement reflects sustained efforts to clear a backlog of applications. Amendments to, and cancellations of, existing LPAs vary in complexity, and their timeliness is monitored through internal performance management arrangements. The organisation does not collect or publish detailed operational data on the processing times for deeds of revocation. While OPG aims to process such requests within 15 working days of receipt, it does not record individual clearance times for these cases. As a result, the shortest, median and longest processing times for cancellation requests in 2025 cannot be provided.
Existing guidance on GOV.UK explains the process for revoking an LPA, including the requirement for a donor to complete a Deed of Revocation in the prescribed form. OPG keeps its published guidance under regular review. While OPG does not currently publish specific guidance on the precise legal point at which an LPA is considered revoked, the legal position is set out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), an LPA is revoked once the donor has executed a valid Deed of Revocation and notified OPG. OPG will continue to review its guidance to ensure it remains clear, accessible and aligned with statutory requirements.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy to introduce targets for the time taken by the Office of the Public Guardian to process and register (a) amendments and (b) cancellations to existing Lasting Powers of Attorney.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) keeps its performance targets under regular review to ensure they remain appropriate and aligned with demand and operational capacity. The performance metrics focus on the registration of new Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) and the discharge of statutory responsibilities. OPG already operates published targets for the registration of LPAs, with performance reported annually.
In 2024–25, the average processing times for LPAs and Enduring Powers of Attorney reduced significantly to 49 working days, down from 76 working days in 2023–24. This improvement reflects sustained efforts to clear a backlog of applications. Amendments to, and cancellations of, existing LPAs vary in complexity, and their timeliness is monitored through internal performance management arrangements. The organisation does not collect or publish detailed operational data on the processing times for deeds of revocation. While OPG aims to process such requests within 15 working days of receipt, it does not record individual clearance times for these cases. As a result, the shortest, median and longest processing times for cancellation requests in 2025 cannot be provided.
Existing guidance on GOV.UK explains the process for revoking an LPA, including the requirement for a donor to complete a Deed of Revocation in the prescribed form. OPG keeps its published guidance under regular review. While OPG does not currently publish specific guidance on the precise legal point at which an LPA is considered revoked, the legal position is set out in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), an LPA is revoked once the donor has executed a valid Deed of Revocation and notified OPG. OPG will continue to review its guidance to ensure it remains clear, accessible and aligned with statutory requirements.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fines have been (a) issued and (b) withdrawn on appeal by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in each of the last three years for which data is available.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), 69 fines were issued during the period 2020/21, followed by 49 between 2021/22 and 73 between 2022/23. The SRA has confirmed that the data for the 2023/24 period is not currently available. Further information is set out by the SRA in its Upholding Professionals Standards (UPS) reports, the three most recent versions of which are available here:
2022/23: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/upholding-professional-standards-2022-23/.
2021/22: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/upholding-professional-standards-2021-22/#.
2020/21: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/upholding-professional-standards-202021/.
The SRA does not publish information regarding appeals.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people who complete the Professional Qualification in Probation remain in the Probation Service for at least five years after qualifying.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
There were 648 staff who completed their Professional Qualification in Probation (PQIP) qualification between January 2018 and December 2019. 571 (88%) of these could be matched to subsequent HMPPS employment records. 415 (73%) of those that could be matched were still employed by the Probation Service 5 years after they completed their course. A further 32 (6%) were still employed within HMPPS but had moved outside of the Probation Service.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people who complete the Professional Qualification in Probation then receive one of their preferred work placements as a qualified Probation Officer.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
The allocation of trainee Probation Officers (PQIPs) into their first Probation Officer role as a Newly Qualified Officer is completed locally by the Probation Region. We do not hold data on this centrally to share. PQIPs are asked to identify three Probation Delivery Unit preferences and to note any personal circumstances that they would like to be considered. Whilst allocations must be completed in accordance with business need, individual preferences are always considered and as far as possible are granted. Any allocations will always take into account existing policy such as travel and subsistence.
As of Spring 2025, a new, automated system will be used to manage Newly Qualified Officer allocations which will improve efficiency of the process.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has received representations from the Solicitor Regulation Authority on the adequacy of the level of financial penalties for those solicitors found to be in breach of money laundering regulations.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The legal profession in England and Wales operates independently of government. The responsibility for regulating the sector sits with the approved regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of solicitors, as well as most law firms in England and Wales. The SRA’s role involves protecting clients and the public, which means they have powers to issue fines and prevent solicitors in breach of their standards and regulations from practising. While the Government does not generally play a direct role in setting fining powers, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) facilitated the introduction of measures to increase the SRA’s fining capabilities in relation to economic crime. However, the responsibility to consult and propose new fining levels for economic crime related matters still sits with the SRA.
The LSB is currently reviewing regulators' enforcement powers as part of its wider efforts to improve the legal services sector. This review focuses on assessing whether the enforcement powers of the regulators are sufficient, effective, and proportionate. Any changes to regulator fining powers are made by an application (under s69 of the Legal Services Act 2007) from the Legal Services Board to the Lord Chancellor. The Government has not received an application for such a change.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of legally recognising humanist marriages.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We are aware that weddings are an important issue for humanists and that the Law Commission has made recommendations for wholesale change of weddings law in July 2022. We will take the time as a new Government to properly consider this issue. We will set out our next steps on our manifesto commitment to strengthen rights and protections for women in cohabitating couples in the near future.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of accepting the recommendations of the report by the Law Commission on wedding law entitled Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law, published on 19 July 2022.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We are aware that weddings are an important issue for humanists and that the Law Commission has made recommendations for wholesale change of weddings law in July 2022. We will take the time as a new Government to properly consider this issue. We will set out our next steps on our manifesto commitment to strengthen rights and protections for women in cohabitating couples in the near future.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of sending coroner inquest notification letters to bereaved family members using signed for delivery.
Answered by Mike Freer
While the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, it does not have operational responsibility for coroner services as they are a local service, funded and administered by individual local authorities. Moreover, coroners are independent judges and the way in which they manage their investigations and inquests is a matter for them.
Rule 9(1) of the Coroners (Inquests) Rules 2013 requires the coroner to notify the deceased person’s next of kin of the date, time and place of the inquest hearing. The method by which this notification is provided is a matter for the individual coroner service.