Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been prosecuted for possession of cannabis since 1 January 2020.
Answered by Gareth Bacon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions for possession of cannabis, covering the period requested and this can be viewed in the following data tool:
Navigate to ‘Prosecutions and Convictions’ tab, and use the ‘Offence’ filter to select ‘92E.01 Possession of a controlled drug - Class B (cannabis)’ and ‘92E.02 Possession of a controlled drug - Class C (cannabis)’.
Within the pivot tool, you can select specific quarters and years to show the period of interest.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions have taken place for the possession of cannabis excluding those with intent to distribute since 1 January 2020.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice publishes information on the number of prosecutions for possession of cannabis offences, in England and Wales, in the Outcomes by Offence tool, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1158218/outcomes-by-offence-2022.xlsx.
Using the HO offence code filter, select the following offences:
‘09261 - Having possession of a controlled drug - class B (cannabis, including cannabis resin, cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives)’
‘09266 - Having possession of a controlled drug - class C (cannabis, including cannabis resin, cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives) - historic’
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislative proposals to repeal sections (a) 58 and (b) 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government maintains a neutral stance in terms of changing the criminal law relating to abortion in England and Wales.
Any change to the law in this area would be a matter of conscience for individual Parliamentarians rather than for the Government.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average working days lost was for civil servants who (a) have and (b) have not declared themselves as having a disability in his Department in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Average working days lost for 12 months to the end of December 2019 and 2020 by requested characteristics. Coverage: payroll staff within Ministry of Justice and executive agencies.
PQ 156621 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020p |
Male | 9.3 | 8.0 |
Female | 8.7 | 7.4 |
PQ 156622 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Black, Asian and minority Ethnic background | 9.7 | 8.9 |
White | 8.6 | 7.4 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 10.0 | 8.2 |
PQ 156623 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Under 30 | 8.0 | 6.8 |
30-49 | 8.2 | 7.0 |
50-59 | 10.3 | 8.6 |
60+ | 11.6 | 10.4 |
PQ 156624 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Declared disabled | 16.7 | 12.7 |
Declared not disabled | 7.9 | 6.6 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 8.8 | 8.6 |
The MoJ is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all of its employees, and to reducing sickness absence levels.
(p) Figures relating to current financial year (April to December 2020) are provisional and may be subject to change in future.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average working days lost was for civil servants aged (a) 30 and younger, (b) 30 to 50 (c) 50 to 60 and (d) over 60 in his Department in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Average working days lost for 12 months to the end of December 2019 and 2020 by requested characteristics. Coverage: payroll staff within Ministry of Justice and executive agencies.
PQ 156621 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020p |
Male | 9.3 | 8.0 |
Female | 8.7 | 7.4 |
PQ 156622 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Black, Asian and minority Ethnic background | 9.7 | 8.9 |
White | 8.6 | 7.4 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 10.0 | 8.2 |
PQ 156623 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Under 30 | 8.0 | 6.8 |
30-49 | 8.2 | 7.0 |
50-59 | 10.3 | 8.6 |
60+ | 11.6 | 10.4 |
PQ 156624 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Declared disabled | 16.7 | 12.7 |
Declared not disabled | 7.9 | 6.6 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 8.8 | 8.6 |
The MoJ is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all of its employees, and to reducing sickness absence levels.
(p) Figures relating to current financial year (April to December 2020) are provisional and may be subject to change in future.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average working days lost was for civil servants (a) from Black, Asian and minority Ethnic background and (b) recording themselves as White in his Department in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Average working days lost for 12 months to the end of December 2019 and 2020 by requested characteristics. Coverage: payroll staff within Ministry of Justice and executive agencies.
PQ 156621 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020p |
Male | 9.3 | 8.0 |
Female | 8.7 | 7.4 |
PQ 156622 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Black, Asian and minority Ethnic background | 9.7 | 8.9 |
White | 8.6 | 7.4 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 10.0 | 8.2 |
PQ 156623 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Under 30 | 8.0 | 6.8 |
30-49 | 8.2 | 7.0 |
50-59 | 10.3 | 8.6 |
60+ | 11.6 | 10.4 |
PQ 156624 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Declared disabled | 16.7 | 12.7 |
Declared not disabled | 7.9 | 6.6 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 8.8 | 8.6 |
The MoJ is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all of its employees, and to reducing sickness absence levels.
(p) Figures relating to current financial year (April to December 2020) are provisional and may be subject to change in future.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average working days lost was for (a) female and (b) male civil servants in his Department in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
Average working days lost for 12 months to the end of December 2019 and 2020 by requested characteristics. Coverage: payroll staff within Ministry of Justice and executive agencies.
PQ 156621 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020p |
Male | 9.3 | 8.0 |
Female | 8.7 | 7.4 |
PQ 156622 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Black, Asian and minority Ethnic background | 9.7 | 8.9 |
White | 8.6 | 7.4 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 10.0 | 8.2 |
PQ 156623 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Under 30 | 8.0 | 6.8 |
30-49 | 8.2 | 7.0 |
50-59 | 10.3 | 8.6 |
60+ | 11.6 | 10.4 |
PQ 156624 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2019 | 01 Jan to 31 Dec 2020 p |
Declared disabled | 16.7 | 12.7 |
Declared not disabled | 7.9 | 6.6 |
Not known/Prefer not to say | 8.8 | 8.6 |
The MoJ is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all of its employees, and to reducing sickness absence levels.
(p) Figures relating to current financial year (April to December 2020) are provisional and may be subject to change in future.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the compliance of his Department’s rules on annual leave carry-over with the Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Ministry of Justice does not centrally record the carry-over of annual leave. This is managed by the local business area.
Whilst we do not hold central data the Department has worked closely with Civil Service Employee Policy to ensure clear guidance to staff on the extended carry-over of annual leave provided for under the Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. Whilst employees have been encouraged to continue to take leave since the start of the pandemic where they are able to do so to maintain their wellbeing, the 2-year extension of carry-over limits is available to all staff impacted by Covid-19 who have been unable to use their annual leave by the normal deadline.
This guidance has been disseminated through Departmental communications channels, dedicated Covid-19 intranet pages, and cascaded to business areas through HR Business Partners. For any complex Covid-related queries or concerns, including those relating to carry- over of annual leave, a dedicated team is available to provide advice and support.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what comparative assessment he has made of levels of (a) violence and (b) staffing between (i) public and (ii) private prisons.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Ministry of Justice does not hold data that makes a comparative assessment of staffing and assaults in public and privately managed prisons.
We publish details on staffing in public prisons every quarter in our HMPPS Workforce Statistics, the latest version is to June 2020 and is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/her-majestys-prison-and-probation-service-workforce-quarterly-june-2020. We do not hold data on staffing levels in private prisons.
There were 32,800 assaults in prisons in England and Wales in 2019, of which 26,960 were in public prisons (82% of total assaults) and 5,840 were in private prisons (18% of total assaults).
Violence in prisons remains unacceptably high, which is why we are spending £100 million to bolster prison security, clamping down on the weapons, drugs and mobile phones that fuel violence and crime behind bars. This will fund tough airport-style security, body scanners and phone-blocking technology.
We are giving officers tools like PAVA pepper spray and body-worn cameras to make their jobs safer.
Our Assaults on Emergency Workers Act increased the maximum penalty for those who attack them to 12 months and we recently announced we will double the penalty further to two years.
HMP Birmingham changed from a private prison to a public prison in July 2019. Therefore, the figures for Birmingham have not been split between the public prisons total and the private prisons total, all assaults in Birmingham for 2019 were recorded as being in private prisons.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the answer of the Minister for Justice to question 266 in oral evidence to the Justice Committee on 14 July 2020, HC 306, what steps he is taking to help ensure that Prospects engages with the Universities and College Union on risk assessments for delivering education at Feltham Young Offenders Institution.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The University and College Union (UCU) is not a recognised Trade Union by HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). As such it is the responsibility of the private providers, who deliver education and recognise the UCU, to have discussions on the delivery of education during the Covid-19 recovery period. All providers are fully engaged in local risk assessments to ensure obligations are fulfilled to staff, department and children in custody, and the Youth Custody Service has liaised with Prospects with regard to their obligations on this basis.
With regards to risk assessments on delivering education, the teachers who provide education across the children and young people secure estate are protected by the Health and Safety Risk Assessment Procedure agreed between HMPPS and its recognised trade unions.
Additionally, HMPPS have consulted with recognised trade unions at both a local and national level on their Exceptional Delivery Models and risk readiness assessments. These assessments considered and encompassed staff working in educational settings, including staff not employed directly by HMPPS.