Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 November 2017 on Toxicology, HCWS265, whether any civil cases have been subsequently identified by his Department as having been affected by manipulation.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
191955: Greater Manchester Police are undertaking an ongoing, expansive criminal investigation into alleged manipulation of toxicology results now by three individuals who were employed at Trimega, and later Randox Testing Services (RTS) after Trimega’s liquidation in 2014, and this matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness. As the police are now treating all results obtained by Trimega between 2010 and 2014 as unreliable, and because Trimega provided toxicology testing for civil and family court cases, it is possible that some civil cases may have been affected by manipulation, though this remains undetermined as the investigation is ongoing. |
191958: As of 16 November 2018, four C650 applications to vary or set aside a court order in relation to children (drug and/or alcohol toxicology test after 2010) have been filed with HM Courts & Tribunals Service. Of these, one was dismissed on application because it did not relate to testing undertaken by Trimega. Of the other three, one was withdrawn and another dismissed by the judge hearing the case. In one instance, a previous order was discharged.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the supply of Registered Intermediaries compared with the demand for them.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Demand for Registered Intermediaries remains high. Between February and April 2018 1,065 referrals were received which is a 2% increase on the same period in 2017. The strong demand has led to further recruitment activity to increase capacity in the Witness Intermediary Scheme.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase the number of physical activity opportunities available to young people in youth offender institutions.
Answered by Phillip Lee
Participation in physical activity has an important role in improving the health and well-being of offenders, as well as helping their prospects for effective rehabilitation. There are widespread opportunities for offenders to participate in physical activity in custody, ranging from in-house provision of sport and PE to programmes and activities offered by professional sports clubs and voluntary and community groups.
The Ministry of Justice has commissioned Professor Rosie Meek and the National Alliance for Sport and the Desistance of Crime (NASDC) to undertake a review of the provision of sport and PE in youth justice. Although this review is focused on the youth justice system it will collate evidence and best practice to inform recommendations for how future delivery of physical activity in custody may be improved.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to encourage prisoners to be more physically active as part of their rehabilitation.
Answered by Phillip Lee
Participation in physical activity has an important role in improving the health and well-being of offenders, as well as helping their prospects for effective rehabilitation. There are widespread opportunities for offenders to participate in physical activity in custody, ranging from in-house provision of sport and PE to programmes and activities offered by professional sports clubs and voluntary and community groups.
The Ministry of Justice has commissioned Professor Rosie Meek and the National Alliance for Sport and the Desistance of Crime (NASDC) to undertake a review of the provision of sport and PE in youth justice. Although this review is focused on the youth justice system it will collate evidence and best practice to inform recommendations for how future delivery of physical activity in custody may be improved.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government plans to introduce new legislative proposals to enshrine in law key rights for victims.
Answered by Phillip Lee
The Government has made a commitment to publish a victims strategy in 2018. We are considering how compliance with the entitlements in the Victims’ Code might be improved and better monitored, and how those responsible for delivery of entitlements might be better held to account. We are looking at legislative and non-legislative options to give effect to the strategy.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) civil injunctions in relation to anti-social behaviour, (b) Community Protection Notices and (c) Criminal Behaviour Orders have been issued in each financial year from 2010 to date.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether it is a requirement for firms supplying forensic services in support of family court cases to be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards.
Answered by Dominic Raab
When forensic expert evidence is commissioned by a party or their legal adviser for the purposes of a family court case, there is no requirement currently for such tests to meet any specific scientific testing standard. The court will consider the veracity of that evidence as for any other expert evidence.
In a family court case where the court directs that a DNA test be undertaken to establish paternity, that test must be carried out by a laboratory accredited by the Ministry of Justice for that specific purpose. Those laboratories must hold current ISO 17025 accreditation.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether (a) the Government and (b) a local authority commissioned services from Trimega (i) before 10 July 2013 and (ii) after 11 April 2014.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Expert forensic toxicology evidence in family court cases is commissioned directly by a party or their legal adviser from a laboratory of their choice. This can include a commission from a local authority for the purpose of family court cases. Such tests may have been commissioned before 10 July 2013. It is understood that Trimega went into liquidation in April 2014.
The Department for Education has written to all local authorities in England asking them to review whether the commissioned forensic hair strand tests for drug and alcohol use by Trimega during the period January 2010 to April 2014.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Written Ministerial Statement HCWS265, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) tests and (b) individuals tested by Trimega between 2010 and 2014.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Government’s immediate priority is to work with the police to establish the full scale of the potential impact on the public of the alleged manipulation of toxicology test results. Due to apparent poor record keeping by Trimega, a reliable estimate of the number of tests and the number of individuals involved is not possible at this time.
The Government recognises the concern many family court users will have and the potential impact on their families. This is why a bespoke court process has been created with a specific court form to enable the individuals concerned to ask the court to consider varying or setting aside a final order from the original proceedings.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Written Statement of 21 November 2017, HCWS265, on toxicology, what assessment he has made of the capacity of HM Courts and Tribunal Service to expedite cases in which test results have been manipulated.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and the judiciary are aware of the seriousness of this issue, and arrangements are in place to monitor any increased demand on the courts.
This will include monitoring the number of applications for leave to appeal in criminal cases and any substantive appeals in the Court of Appeal. The number of bespoke family court forms submitted to ask the court to consider varying or setting aside their final family court order will be monitored too.
This will ensure the process is kept under review to meet the requirements of family court users.