Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
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 suspending the issue of county court judgments to small businesses during the covid-19 outbreak to help ensure that those businesses are able to receive and respond efficiently to those judgments.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is taking a number of measures to support businesses, landlords and other parties during the coronavirus pandemic. The Coronavirus Act 2020 implemented a moratorium on the forfeiture of commercial leases for unpaid rent until 30 June 2020 (with the option to extend through secondary legislation).
MoJ has also worked with BEIS and MHCLG to restrict the use of commercial rent arrears recovery (CRAR) while the moratorium is in place, and on Thursday 23 April BEIS announced that they will be introducing further measures to protect businesses against aggressive debt recovery actions, including statutory demands and winding up petitions.
The Ministry of Justice has not made an assessment of the merits of suspending county court judgments to small businesses during the Covid-19 outbreak but we continue to keep the situation under review.
More generally, as a further measure to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. the Lord Chancellor and the Master of the Rolls have agreed a Practice Direction to allow parties to extend time limits in most civil cases by up to 56 days without formally notifying the court (rather than the current 28 days).
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
What plans he has to help reduce reoffending.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This Government is committed to reducing reoffending by ensuring that all offenders have the tools they need to turn their backs on crime.
That is why we are focusing our efforts on supporting offenders to address any health and wellbeing issues; raise their levels of educations attainment and skills; get a job; and rebuild or reinforce their relationships.
We also know that a concerted cross-government effort is required to address reoffending. For example we recently entered into a National Partnership Agreement with the Department for Work and Pensions, to set out how departments will work together to improve offenders’ chances of securing work and integrate into the community on release from prison.
We know that in 39% of violent incidents victims believed alcohol was a factor. We are introducing an Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Requirement, giving courts the power to impose a ban on drinking alcohol as part of a community order where alcohol was a factor in the offending.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
What steps he is taking to improve access to the judicial system for litigants bringing civil money claims.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is investing over £1bn to modernise our courts and tribunals, including investment to improve the civil justice system.
The Online Civil Money Claims pilot, is a new service which went live in March 2018, and allows people to resolve money disputes online, for claims of up to £10,000. The digital service allows the public to simply and swiftly make their claim and the system is designed to be clear and easy to use. To date, the overall user satisfaction rate is 87% with over 68,000 claims made.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Obscene Publications Act 1959 to make possession of obscene publications an either way offence rather than summary only offence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Penning
The offence of publishing an obscene article under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 is triable either way, with a maximum custodial penalty of six months on summary conviction or five years on conviction on indictment. The Government has no current plans to amend it but is happy to consider relevant evidence.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Obscene Publications Act 1959 to remove the time limit for prosecution of obscene publications; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Penning
The offence of publishing an obscene article under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 is triable either way, with a maximum custodial penalty of six months on summary conviction or five years on conviction on indictment. The Government has no current plans to amend it but is happy to consider relevant evidence.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend section 62 f the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to apply additionally to the possession of pornographic written material; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Coalition Government created a new criminal offence criminalising the possession of material that contains advice or guidance about abusing children sexually in the Serious Crime Act 2015. The offence is subject to a 3 year maximum prison sentence.
Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend section 62 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to apply additionally to the possession of child abuse written material; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Coalition Government created a new criminal offence criminalising the possession of material that contains advice or guidance about abusing children sexually in the Serious Crime Act 2015. The offence is subject to a 3 year maximum prison sentence.