Tag: Lord Bradley

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people serving (1) life sentences, and (2) imprisonment for public protection sentences, were authorised by the Parole Board for transfer to open prison conditions in each month since January 2013.

Lord Faulks

The table below gives a breakdown of the number of indeterminate sentence prisoners who were recommended by the Parole Board for transfer to open conditions.

The data covers the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 October 2015, broken down by month, and distinguish between those serving a life sentence and those serving an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection.

These figures have been drawn from a live administrative IT system which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

		Jan	Feb	Mar	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Totals
2013
Open Recommendations made by PB:	IPP	57	62	66	73	69	78	61	68	67	60	64	54	779
	Lifer	59	48	40	48	51	51	46	43	37	47	41	27	538
Approved for Transfer:	IPP	52	58	59	60	70	65	77	76	63	74	47	80	781
	Lifer	38	63	44	40	53	38	58	48	38	50	33	47	550
2014
Open Recommendations made by PB:	IPP	62	68	41	74	54	49	69	48	35	44	50	48	642
	Lifer	44	31	31	28	36	33	40	28	17	24	38	24	374
Approved for Transfer:	IPP	65	46	74	45	38	26	54	43	41	64	48	46	590
	Lifer	30	34	39	21	15	20	23	23	28	31	20	29	313
2015
Open Recommendations made by PB:	IPP	61	47	49	48	46	56	38	32	33	32	N/A	N/A	442
	Lifer	39	28	28	25	25	38	22	23	24	33	N/A	N/A	285
Approved for Transfer:	IPP	57	41	54	40	42	63	55	34	35	35	N/A	N/A	456
	Lifer	31	16	36	26	16	33	35	24	22	22	N/A	N/A	261

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce fluoride into the water of the North West of England.

Lord Prior of Brampton

There are currently water fluoridation schemes in the North West of England serving parts of Cumbria and Cheshire.

It has been the policy of successive governments that decisions on water fluoridation are best taken locally. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 gave powers to upper tier and unitary local authorities to make proposals in relation to fluoridation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people serving (1) life sentences, and (2) imprisonment for public protection sentences, were transferred from closed to open prison conditions following authorisation by the Parole Board in each month since January 2013.

Lord Faulks

The table below gives a breakdown of the number of indeterminate sentence prisoners who were recommended by the Parole Board for transfer to open conditions.

The data covers the period from 1 January 2013 to 31 October 2015, broken down by month, and distinguish between those serving a life sentence and those serving an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection.

These figures have been drawn from a live administrative IT system which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

		Jan	Feb	Mar	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec	Totals
2013
Open Recommendations made by PB:	IPP	57	62	66	73	69	78	61	68	67	60	64	54	779
	Lifer	59	48	40	48	51	51	46	43	37	47	41	27	538
Approved for Transfer:	IPP	52	58	59	60	70	65	77	76	63	74	47	80	781
	Lifer	38	63	44	40	53	38	58	48	38	50	33	47	550
2014
Open Recommendations made by PB:	IPP	62	68	41	74	54	49	69	48	35	44	50	48	642
	Lifer	44	31	31	28	36	33	40	28	17	24	38	24	374
Approved for Transfer:	IPP	65	46	74	45	38	26	54	43	41	64	48	46	590
	Lifer	30	34	39	21	15	20	23	23	28	31	20	29	313
2015
Open Recommendations made by PB:	IPP	61	47	49	48	46	56	38	32	33	32	N/A	N/A	442
	Lifer	39	28	28	25	25	38	22	23	24	33	N/A	N/A	285
Approved for Transfer:	IPP	57	41	54	40	42	63	55	34	35	35	N/A	N/A	456
	Lifer	31	16	36	26	16	33	35	24	22	22	N/A	N/A	261

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-02-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that learning disabilities services are commissioned by the NHS in every prison in England.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Public Health England, NHS England and the National Offender Management Service commission individual health and wellbeing needs assessments (HNAs) in all prisons and young offender institutions in England on a regular basis. An HNA identifies the health needs of the population for which health services will be commissioned in that establishment, which includes learning disabilities.

NHS England commissions health services to standard specifications which ensures that evidence-based clinical standards of care are delivered in individual prisons.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many decisions to grant release on temporary licence were made, and (2) what type of licence was granted in each prison establishment, in each month since January 2013.

Lord Faulks

The Ministry of Justice collates data on incidences of release on temporary licence (ROTL) rather than on decisions to grant ROTL. A decision to grant ROTL can relate to a single incidence of release, or to more than one incidence of release where, for example, an offender is regularly working in the community on day release. Annual statistics on the numbers of individuals granted ROTL is published on the gov.uk website.

The attached tables provide the following information:

Table 1: The number of individuals released on temporary licence per quarter between January 2013 and June 2015 by prison;

Table 2: Incidences of release on temporary licence per month between January 2013 and June 2015 by prison and by type of licence;

Table 3: The number of individuals aged 50 to 59, and 60 and over released on temporary licence per quarter between January 2013 and June 2015.

The Ministry of Justice collates data relating to the number of individuals released on temporary licence on a quarterly basis: it would only be possible to provide monthly data at disproportionate cost.

Following changes to ROTL in 2013, there has been a 39% reduction in recorded instances of ROTL failure. This is the lowest failure rate since 2002.

ROTL can be an important tool to help rehabilitate prisoners. ROTL is not automatic, but is only granted following rigorous assessment and with public protection as a primary consideration. The Government supports prisoners using temporary release to take work, training and educational opportunities that cannot be provided in prison, as well as for maintaining ties with their families.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-03-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individual prisoner screening assessments for learning disabilities were undertaken in each prison in England in each of the last five years.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England is currently auditing prison screening for learning disabilities, but this information is not collected centrally at present.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many people were granted release on temporary licence, and (2) what type of licence was granted in each prison establishment, in each month since January 2013.

Lord Faulks

The Ministry of Justice collates data on incidences of release on temporary licence (ROTL) rather than on decisions to grant ROTL. A decision to grant ROTL can relate to a single incidence of release, or to more than one incidence of release where, for example, an offender is regularly working in the community on day release. Annual statistics on the numbers of individuals granted ROTL is published on the gov.uk website.

The attached tables provide the following information:

Table 1: The number of individuals released on temporary licence per quarter between January 2013 and June 2015 by prison;

Table 2: Incidences of release on temporary licence per month between January 2013 and June 2015 by prison and by type of licence;

Table 3: The number of individuals aged 50 to 59, and 60 and over released on temporary licence per quarter between January 2013 and June 2015.

The Ministry of Justice collates data relating to the number of individuals released on temporary licence on a quarterly basis: it would only be possible to provide monthly data at disproportionate cost.

Following changes to ROTL in 2013, there has been a 39% reduction in recorded instances of ROTL failure. This is the lowest failure rate since 2002.

ROTL can be an important tool to help rehabilitate prisoners. ROTL is not automatic, but is only granted following rigorous assessment and with public protection as a primary consideration. The Government supports prisoners using temporary release to take work, training and educational opportunities that cannot be provided in prison, as well as for maintaining ties with their families.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-04-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the circumstances in which it is appropriate for the court to appoint an intermediary for communication support for a vulnerable defendant.

Lord Faulks

A judge can grant the use of an intermediary to meet the needs of a vulnerable defendant to ensure a fair trial. The Criminal Procedure Rules and Practice Directions require the court to take every reasonable step to facilitate the participation of any person, including the defendant. This includes ensuring that a defendant is able to give their best evidence, and enabling a defendant to comprehend the proceedings and engage fully with their defence.

We are currently considering the provision of intermediaries for vulnerable defendants as part of our on-going work around the communication needs of all vulnerable court users.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many places in category D prisons were available in England and Wales in each month since January 2013.

Lord Faulks

Progression to open prisons is never automatic, and prisoners must generally be within two years of release before they can be considered for allocation. Public protection is paramount, only those prisoners who are assessed as low risk of escape/abscond and low risk of causing harm to the public are transferred to an open prison.

The following table shows the number of category D places that were available and occupied by prisoners in open prisons in England and Wales as at the last Friday in each month since January 2013. This information is published monthly on gov.uk

The data above does not include the number of places available and in use in category D units in otherwise closed prisons.

Breakdown of the population and capacity of the dedicated open estate from

January 2013 to October 2015.

Month	Capacity	Population
Jan-13	5,131	4,933
Feb-13	5,131	4,953
Mar-13	5,131	4,982
Apr-13	5,131	4,993
May-13	5,131	4,988
Jun-13	5,131	4,981
Jul-13	5,131	4,988
Aug-13	5,131	4,994
Sep-13	5,131	4,990
Oct-13	5,131	5,005
Nov-13	5,203	5,048
Dec-13	5,217	4,993
Jan-14	5,217	4,932
Feb-14	5,217	4,994
Mar-14	5,217	5,037
Apr-14	5,339	5,159
May-14	5,339	5,122
Jun-14	5,339	5,087
Jul-14	5,339	5,082
Aug-14	5,374	5,011
Sep-14	5,374	4,943
Oct-14	5,397	4,846
Nov-14	5,397	4,814
Dec-14	5,397	4,759
Jan-15	5,405	4,666
Feb-15	5,329	4,680
Mar-15	5,131	4,691
Apr-15	5,453	4,922
May-15	5,468	4,876
Jun-15	5,544	5,020
Jul-15	5,569	5,019
Aug-15	5,569	5,062
Sep-15	5,520	5,076
Oct-15	5,550	5,127

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-05-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance has been issued to the courts to ensure that the option of a mental health Community Treatment Order is considered as part of a Community Sentence.

Lord Faulks

The National Probation Service provides sentencers with advice on requirements that could from part of a court ordered community order or a suspended sentence order. Guidance has been produced by the National Offender Management Service that is aimed at all partners, including the National Probation Service and the courts, to support increased use of Mental Health Treatment Requirements. This guidance can be found in the document Mental health Treatment Requirement – a Guide to Integrated Delivery, published on gov.uk.