Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) violent offenders and (b) people convicted of grievous bodily harm resulting in life-changing injuries are not inappropriately released early under existing early release schemes; and what review mechanisms are in place to assess whether the charge classification accurately reflects the severity of the offending behaviour in such cases.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government was left an unconscionable inheritance with the prison system days from collapse. To prevent the risk of gridlock across the Criminal Justice System, we had no choice but to take decisive actions to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.

We changed the release point for certain standard determinate sentences from 50% to 40% (‘SDS40’) and increased the maximum Home Detention Curfew period from 6 months to 12 months. Both of these policies have extensive exclusion criteria, including sexual offences irrespective of sentence length and certain serious violent offences.

Harm caused is one of the two core factors always taken into account when sentencing. The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for bringing the right charge in all serious cases and there are established mechanisms for appealing unduly lenient sentences.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid in (a) Universal Credit, (b) Disability Living Allowance and (c) Personal Independence Payment to people who were not British citizens in each of the last five years.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid in State Pension to people not born in the United Kingdom in (a) the most recent year for which data is available and (b) in each of the previous five years.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Department does not hold information on the country of birth of individuals in receipt of the State Pension. State Pension eligibility is determined by an individual’s National Insurance record.

Found: Timothy Rupert Lowe Lewis Cocking Wendy Morton Lee Anderson Mr Andrew Snowden David Reed Richard Tice