Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the eligibility for Spousal Support to include people who are in long-term relationships outside of marriage.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
The Law Commission consulted on financial remedies for cohabiting couples in 2006 and published its report in July 2007. The Government will review how to proceed in relation to proposals made by the Law Commission on the rights or responsibilities which marriage creates, such as the financial entitlements of surviving spouses or the consequences of divorce, in the context of any further reforms to the family justice system.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions his Department is having with HMP Dovegate on allowing family members to send handmade cards and letters to inmates.
Answered by Alex Chalk
Due to concerns about the amount of new psychoactive substances that were being sent to prisoners through incoming mail, a decision was made at Dovegate to temporarily stop shop bought and handmade cards coming into the prison. Prisoners were notified of this decision and the rationale behind it.
Cards that arrive that do not adhere to these new procedures can either be photocopied or placed in the storage to be given to the prisoner concerned at a later date.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of personal independence payment claimants with epilepsy have had their claim accepted at appeal following an initial rejection.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not categorise appeals by illness, or disability, of the appellant. This information is therefore not held centrally.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the proportion of staff turnover has been in HMP Hull in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Buckland
HMPPS have recruited an extra 4,700 officers in the past two years to help ease the burden on our hard-working prison staff and the leaving rate remains broadly in the normal range for workforces of this type. Staffing levels are at their highest since 2012. Table 1: Underlying leaving rate of permanent1 staff in HMP Hull - 2009-10 to 2018-19
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Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of service is for a prison officer at HMP Hull.
Answered by Robert Buckland
As at 31st March 2019, the average length of service for a prison officer at HMP Hull was 12.4 years.
The length of service in HMPPS is calculated from most recent hire date. Where staff have transferred in from another Government Department or have transferred in through HMPPS taking over a function, length of service is calculated from entry to HMPPS. Prison Officers Includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officer (includes specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officer and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.
We want prison officers to stay and progress their careers. We have improved induction processes to ease transition into the job, provide care and support for our staff and offer additional training. These measures are part of the work we are doing directly with Governors to address local issues and ensure experienced staff and new recruits remain in the service.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent reforms to legal aid on access to justice for women escaping domestic abuse; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lucy Frazer
The Government is clear that victims of domestic violence must have access to the help that they need, including access to legal aid.
The changes we implemented on 8 January 2018 have widened the scope of existing evidence requirements, introduced new forms of evidence and removed the time limit completely from all forms of evidence for domestic violence.
These changes aim to make it easier for victims, or those at risk, of domestic violence to obtain and provide the evidence required to access legal aid.
It is too early to assess the effects of these changes; however, my department will be monitoring the statistics over time to assess the impact of these reforms.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent reforms to legal aid on access to justice for women escaping domestic abuse; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lucy Frazer
The Government is clear that victims of domestic violence must have access to the help that they need, including access to legal aid.
The changes we implemented on 8 January 2018 have widened the scope of existing evidence requirements, introduced new forms of evidence and removed the time limit completely from all forms of evidence for domestic violence.
These changes aim to make it easier for victims, or those at risk, of domestic violence to obtain and provide the evidence required to access legal aid.
It is too early to assess the effects of these changes; however, my department will be monitoring the statistics over time to assess the impact of these reforms.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is aware of an offer by the St Stephen's Shopping Centre, Hull, to host the replica of Amy Johnson's Tiger Moth produced by prisoners in HMP Hull; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
HMP Hull created a full-scale replica of Amy Johnson’s Gipsy Moth as part of the Hull City of Culture 2017 programme and the prison’s reducing reoffending initiative.
HMP Hull approached and held discussions about the permanent placement of the replica Gipsy Moth with the City of Culture organisation, Network Rail for the use of Paragon Station, Curator Hull Museums, Museums Registrar (East Riding) and Sewerby Hall before the decision was taken to locate house the replica at Yorkshire Air Museum.
The City of Culture organisation have since been approached by St Stephen’s shopping centre to express an interest in housing the replica model, this is currently being considered.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to ensure that the replica of Amy Johnson's Tiger Moth produced in HMP Hull remains in Hull.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
HMP Hull created a full-scale replica of Amy Johnson’s Gipsy Moth as part of the Hull City of Culture 2017 programme and the prison’s reducing reoffending initiative.
HMP Hull approached and held discussions about the permanent placement of the replica Gipsy Moth with the City of Culture organisation, Network Rail for the use of Paragon Station, Curator Hull Museums, Museums Registrar (East Riding) and Sewerby Hall before the decision was taken to locate house the replica at Yorkshire Air Museum.
The City of Culture organisation have since been approached by St Stephen’s shopping centre to express an interest in housing the replica model, this is currently being considered.