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Written Question
Drugs: Death
Tuesday 5th November 2019

Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in drug-related deaths; and what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Home Affairs on the potential role of drug policy reform in reducing the number of drug-related deaths.

Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.


Written Question
Reoffenders: Sentencing
Tuesday 8th October 2019

Asked by: Jonathan Lord (Conservative - Woking)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to review sentencing policy for prolific offenders.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Protecting the public will always be our priority. One of the first acts by this Prime Minister was to order an urgent review of sentencing. The focus of the review has been on the sentencing for the most serious violent and sexual offenders and the rules governing when and how those offenders are released. As part of the review, we have also considered changes to sentencing for prolific offenders which could help break the cycle of reoffending.

Based on the findings of the review, we will be bringing forward proposals shortly for a comprehensive package of legislative reform. This will include amending the automatic release point for the most serious sexual and violent offenders (where the offence carries a maximum life sentence) from the half-way point to two thirds of the sentence.

As part of this package of reform, we also plan to bring forward proposals for community penalties that offer an appropriate level of punishment, while tackling the underlying drivers of offending. We know that prolific offenders generally have multiple and complex needs which are linked to their offending behaviour, in particular drugs, alcohol and mental health needs. If we are to break the cycle of reoffending, solutions will often lie in community sentences, including those which address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, or provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community. On 1 October we announced that we would be introducing Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Requirements (AAMR) across England and Wales, starting in 2020.


Written Question
Reoffenders: Sentencing
Tuesday 9th July 2019

Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

If he will review sentencing policy for prolific offenders.

Answered by Robert Buckland

We are looking to take forward reform of short custodial sentences. We know that offenders serving short sentences often have long offending histories, as well as multiple and complex needs. In cases of the most persistent offenders, the evidence shows they are 36% more likely to re-offend where they have received a short custodial sentence rather than a court order. Community penalties can address underlying behaviour, answer mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.


Written Question
Prisons: Crimes of Violence and Self-harm
Thursday 14th February 2019

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of (a) deaths, (b) assaults and (c) cases of self-harm in prisons.

Answered by Rory Stewart

Prisons should be places of safety and reform. Violence is never acceptable, and we recognise that the current level of suicide and self-harm is too high.

With this in mind, the Government is taking unprecedented action, including:

  • investing in over 4,300 additional staff since October 2015;
  • introducing new suicide and self-harm prevention training, which has already reached over 24,000 staff;
  • improving support for prisoners in their early days and weeks and rolling out a ‘key worker’ scheme which ensures each prisoner has dedicated support from a particular prison officer;
  • funding the Samaritans to provide their valuable Listeners Scheme for a further three years;
  • improving the ACCT case management process for those identified as at risk of self-harm or suicide.
  • investing an extra £70 million to improve safety, security and decency, and equipping officers with rigid-bar handcuffs, PAVA incapacitant spray and body-worn cameras to help prevent serious harm to staff and prisoners when dealing with violent incidents and assaults; and
  • tackling the drugs that we know are fuelling much of the violence in custody - introducing new x-ray scanners, drug-detection dogs and dedicated search teams.

We are also committed to taking action to improve prisoners’ health. Since April 2018, a new National Partnership Agreement has been in place, marking an even stronger level of co-operation and cohesiveness between agencies that influence the policy, commissioning and delivery of prison health services. The agreement sets out how the partnership (DHSC, NHS England, MoJ, HMPPS and Public Health England) will work together to deliver its three core objectives. It agrees ten key priority areas for 2018-2021, including reducing incidents of self-harm and self-inflicted deaths in the adult secure estate.

In addition, NHS England has published a new Service Specification for Integrated Substance Misuse Treatment Services in Prisons in England, which brings greater focus to the treatment of users of psychoactive substances and makes stronger links to mental health.


Written Question
Prisons: Drugs
Monday 5th December 2016

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which individuals and organisations were consulted prior to the publication of the Ministry of Justice's White Paper <i>Prison Safety and Reform</i>, with particular regard to the formulation of drug policy.

Answered by Lord Henley

Prior to the publication of the White Paper we consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, both within and outside of government. Drug policy proposals were developed with the Home Office, Department of Health, NHS England and Public Health England, as well as prison governors and local health commissioners.

We will continue to consult with a range of stakeholders as we further develop and implement policy.