Recommendations & Conclusions
18 items
2
Recommendation
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
The pandemic has significantly impacted the wellbeing and life chances of prisoners, making it critical that the Ministry and HMPPS accelerate their work to improve the mental health of prisoners. The need for restrictive regimes to maintain social distancing in prisons during the pandemic has exacerbated the existing mental health …
Government response. agree with the conclusion that DHSC and NHS Digital took too long to identify all clinically extremely vulnerable people. Given the data available at the time, and the novelty of shielding policy, NHS Digital, DHSC, and frontline clinicians worked as …
HM Treasury
3
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
We have limited confidence in the Ministry’s plans for reducing the backlog in the court system, particularly in criminal courts. The backlog in criminal courts was growing before the pandemic, and many organisations have warned that it could take years to clear the backlog. But the Ministry and HMCT could …
Government response. agree with the conclusion that there was huge local variation. NHS Digital and DHSC have already written to the Committee with an initial analysis of the local variation in growth of the Shielded Patient List (SPL). This found that most …
HM Treasury
4
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
Despite previous warnings, the Ministry and HMCTS do not yet have a firm grip on the data they need to understand how effective the court reform programme is or its impact on users. Despite past delays, the Ministry says that the court reform programme was on track to deliver to …
Government response. agree with the conclusion that a centrally directed system was chosen because of a lack of confidence in local authorities. Councils are crucial partners in delivery of shielding support to clinically extremely vulnerable individuals and since July 2020, councils and …
HM Treasury
5
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
We remain concerned that the maintenance backlog poses a real threat to achieving a safe and secure prison estate able to accommodate future prison populations. The latest spending review settlement included a welcome boost of £4 billion in capital spending to support building new prisons, but only £315 million set …
Government response. 5: PAC conclusion: We remain concerned that the maintenance backlog poses a real threat to achieving a safe and secure prison estate able to accommodate future prison populations. 5: PAC recommendation: As part of setting out a long-term strategy for …
HM Treasury
6
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
Despite the efforts of staff during the pandemic, there are clear signs of strain on people working across courts and tribunals, prisons and probation services. We remain concerned about the unprecedented pressures facing frontline staff at this time. HMPPS says that probation officer caseloads are high but manageable, and that …
Government response. 2021. This is the Government’s response to the Committee’s report. Relevant reports • NAO report: management of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund – Session 2019-21 (HC 1130) • PAC report: Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund – Session 2019-21 (HC 941) Government …
HM Treasury
1
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
We took evidence from the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) and its executive agencies, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) on the challenges facing the justice system, including courts, prisons and probation services.
Government response. Introduction from the Committee The Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) and its executive agencies, including HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS), are responsible for managing the work of courts, prisons and probation services. …
HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
The Ministry and HMPPS have a duty of care to those in prisons. We have reported in the past that improving the mental health of prisoners is a difficult and complex task, and that it is essential to reducing reoffending and ensuring that those who are released from prison can …
Government response. 2: PAC conclusion: The pandemic has significantly impacted the wellbeing and life chances of prisoners, making it critical that the Ministry and HMPPS accelerate their work to improve the mental health of prisoners. 2: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute …
HM Treasury
8
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
HMPPS’ data shows that during 2020, there were 67 self-inflicted deaths in custody, and 58,879 self-harm incidents in the 12 months to September 2020. We heard from HMPPS that while these levels are high, they are showing signs of declining. The situation remains particularly alarming for female prisoners.8 We welcomed …
Government response. 2: PAC conclusion: The pandemic has significantly impacted the wellbeing and life chances of prisoners, making it critical that the Ministry and HMPPS accelerate their work to improve the mental health of prisoners. 2: PAC recommendation: In its Treasury Minute …
HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
The pandemic has had a significant impact on the court system, exacerbating an already growing backlog in cases, particularly in the criminal courts. Stakeholders are concerned that it could take years to clear the backlog that has now accumulated. The effects on the lives of defendants, witnesses and victims are …
Government response. 3: PAC conclusion: We have limited confidence in the Ministry’s plans for reducing the backlog in the court system, particularly in criminal courts. 3: PAC recommendation: The Ministry should write to the Committee within one month to set out its …
HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
Government has also committed additional funding to support the court system to reduce the backlogs, including by making court rooms safe through the installation of plexiglass and introducing 40 Nightingale courts, with plans to increase this by a further 20 courts. It has also brought back into service some court …
Government response. 3.3 The Permanent Secretary wrote to the Committee on 18 May 2021 providing an update on recent progress and current plans, and the Lord Chancellor has been clear that he wants the Crown Courts to run to the fullest extent …
HM Treasury
11
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
The Ministry appears to place significant focus on the ability of technology to manage the increased demand on the court system, through remote hearings and other technology-based initiatives it says will drive up productivity. It told us that user feedback for video hearings in probate and the family court have …
Government response. 4.2 Managing the impact of COVID-19 required HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to adjust its approach to delivering the reform programme. Some services were ramped up more quickly, whilst other projects had to be delayed. In other areas, HMCTS’s …
HM Treasury
12
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
We have previously reported on HMCTS’s £1.2 billion programme to modernise courts, a very ambitious programme aiming to change how people access justice using more technology, closing courts and centralising customer service. We were concerned that HMCTS was at risk of falling behind schedule despite extending its timetable from four …
Government response. 4.2 Managing the impact of COVID-19 required HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to adjust its approach to delivering the reform programme. Some services were ramped up more quickly, whilst other projects had to be delayed. In other areas, HMCTS’s …
HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
The Ministry’s new accounting officer told us of her commitment to collect good quality, consistent data to support the reform programme, including data on user satisfaction and justice outcomes. While we welcome this renewed commitment, we are disappointed that the Ministry has yet to make any significant progress on implementing …
Government response. 4: PAC conclusion: Despite previous warnings, the Ministry and HMCTS do not yet have a firm grip on the data they need to understand how effective the court reform programme is or its impact on users. 4: PAC recommendation: In …
HM Treasury
14
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
The 2020 spending review included £4 billion in capital funding to support the provision of 18,000 new prison places over four years. But beyond this isolated multi-year commitment, the one-year spending review settlement makes it difficult for the Ministry and its agencies to plan for the long term. The Ministry …
Government response. 5.2 The department closely monitors prison population forecasts to ensure the prison estate has sufficient capacity to meet future demand, and regularly works with our partners across the criminal justice system (CJS), including the Home Office and Crown Prosecution Service, …
HM Treasury
15
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
We have previously reported that the Ministry and HMPPS’ management of the prison estate has resulted in a staggering backlog of maintenance work.21 The backlog in maintenance is now estimated at £1 billion. The recent spending review included £315 million in 2020–21 to address this, significantly below what is required …
Government response. 5.4 The department's Spending Review settlement for 2021-22 will provide £315 million in capital funding in this financial year to improve the condition of the existing estate. This welcome increase in capital funding will mean that the programme of critical …
HM Treasury
16
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
We received evidence from the Bar Council raising concerns around the safety of court staff during the pandemic. A recent survey they conducted showed 84% of barristers who attended court in December 2020 had concerns about their safety and wellbeing.23 We questioned the Ministry and its agencies on the impact …
Government response. 6.2 The department agrees with the Committee that its staff are at the heart of delivering a world-class justice system and that they have performed extraordinarily during the course of this pandemic to ensure the rule of law and access …
HM Treasury
17
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
The pandemic and increasing demand on the justice system will continue to put pressure on staff who are at the heart of ensuring prisons are well run, court backlogs are addressed, and probation services are effective. HMPPS told us of its ongoing work to continue to recruit staff after an …
Government response. 6.2 The department agrees with the Committee that its staff are at the heart of delivering a world-class justice system and that they have performed extraordinarily during the course of this pandemic to ensure the rule of law and access …
HM Treasury
18
Conclusion
Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges fa…
HMPPS assured us that as the programme to reunify probation services was on scheduled to complete in June 2021. It told us that it was consistently monitoring the caseloads of probations officers but that these remain high. HMPPS told us it had committed £155 million to improving IT systems to …
HM Treasury