Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
What assessment he has made of the effect of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on his Department’s responsibilities.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) fully delivers on what the British public voted for in the referendum and in last year’s General Election. It takes back control of our laws, borders, money and fisheries, and ends any role for the European Court. Our deal is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, centred on free trade and inspired by our shared history and values.
We have successfully negotiated unprecedented provisions for legal services that go beyond what the EU has included in any other FTA. The agreement will improve the clarity and certainty of market access for UK lawyers after the transition period.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
What steps his Department is taking to improve access to justice.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government has a responsibility to make sure that those in the greatest hardship and at the times of greatest need, can secure access to justice. This is a responsibility that we take very seriously.
Last year, we spent £1.6 billion on legal aid – over a fifth of the Ministry of Justice’s budget.
As we all know, legal aid is just one part of the access to justice landscape. Our £1bn court modernisation programme has already started transforming how people experience the justice system.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the prison service of prison officers working longer before retirement.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The Alpha pension, which introduced a higher Normal Pension Age, was brought in under legislation. All consultation/negotiations with the Civil Service trade unions including the Prison Officers Association (POA) who are the trade union responsible for prison officers in the National Offender Management Service were carried out by the Pension Scheme Executive in Civil Service Pensions – Cabinet Office. The Pension Scheme Executive in 2012, held separate additional talks with the POA regarding the increase in pension age and offered a package under the Enhanced Effective Pension Age (EEPA). This provided an opportunity for staff to purchase a lower pension age, which would be subsidised by the employer. The POA membership through postal vote, rejected this offer.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how prison officers were informed of changes to their pensions following the transfer from Classic to the Alpha Scheme; and how those changes affected the employment contracts of such prison officers.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
During the consultation period with The Pension Scheme Executive in the Cabinet Office, the Prison Officers Association (POA) published various bulletins and communications confirming the change in pension arrangements. Additionally NOMS HR circulated communications through their internal Intranet system which is available to all staff. The intranet article directed staff to the Civil Service Pension website which held the details about the pension changes being introduced. Cabinet Office issued letters to all staff informing them of the pension changes. NOMS policy is to not issue new employment contracts or variations for routine legislation changes.