Written questions by McMurdock.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require courts to abide by domestic law over (a) policies promoted by UN agencies and (b) non-legally binding international agreements.

As the Prime Minister has said, it is Parliament that enacts the law on immigration, and it is Government that makes the policy (Official Report, column 249). It is an enduring strength of our democracy that when judges apply the law, they decide cases impartially, independently, and free from any external or political influence or pressure. There is a robust appellate system to deal with matters arising from a decision.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the independence of the courts from external influence from (a) UN bodies and (b) non-governmental organisations when enacting immigration law.

As the Prime Minister has said, it is Parliament that enacts the law on immigration, and it is Government that makes the policy (Official Report, column 249). It is an enduring strength of our democracy that when judges apply the law, they decide cases impartially, independently, and free from any external or political influence or pressure. There is a robust appellate system to deal with matters arising from a decision.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the number of times courts have cited (a) the UN Global Compact for Migration and (b) other non-binding international agreements in their rulings on asylum and immigration cases.

The Ministry of Justice does not have policies in relation to asylum and immigration, responsibility for which sits with the Home Secretary. Nor does the Ministry of Justice consider or hold any data on the number of times in which the UN Global Compact for Migration or other non-binding international agreements have been cited in court rulings.

If she will take steps to ensure that biological males who identify as female are not housed in women’s prisons.

We take the allocation of transgender prisoners very seriously. It is right that there are safeguards in place to protect the safety of vulnerable women, and well over 90% of transgender women in custody are held in men’s prisons.Transgender women who have committed sexual or violent offences, or who retain birth genitalia, will not be held in general women’s estate, other than on an exceptional basis where experts have a high level of confidence that they pose a low risk to other prisoners.

What information her Department holds on the number of times courts have cited (a) the UN Global Compact for Migration and (b) other non-binding international agreements in rulings on asylum and immigration cases in the last three years.

The Ministry of Justice does not have policies in relation to asylum and immigration, responsibility for which sits with the Home Secretary. Nor does the Ministry of Justice consider or hold any data on the number of times in which the UN Global Compact for Migration or other non-binding international agreements have been cited in court rulings.

What the average time was between application to the Employment Tribunal and hearing in each of the last three years.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service does not hold the requested information.

What proportion of violent offenders had (a) paranoid schizophrenia and (b) other mental health illnesses when convicted in each of the last five years.

The information requested is not held centrally.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) transparency of private companies that provide public services for her department and (b) protection of their commercially sensitive data.

The Ministry of Justice recognises the importance of the Government’s transparency obligations on public spending and routinely publishes relevant information in accordance with the legal and policy framework that governs public sector procurement. This includes publication of a contract award notice and a copy of the redacted contract (where appropriate), where the Ministry of Justice has awarded a contract to a private company to provide public services. There are specific thresholds and timescales in place which determine the publication obligations to be applied.In complying with these transparency obligations, the Ministry of Justice ensures it also follows the requirements set out under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), to establish whether there are any permitted exemptions or redactions on commercial sensitivity grounds.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the cost-effectiveness of her Department's Arm's Length Bodies.

The Ministry of Justice’s Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) play a critical role in the delivery of the Department’s priorities and statutory responsibilities. ALB budgets are agreed through the Department’s spending review and allocations process. Their efficiency, effectiveness and performance are scrutinised through regular, robust oversight and assurance activities, in line with the ALB Sponsorship Code of Good Practice, and through their inclusion in the Cabinet Office’s Public Bodies Review Programme.

How many people have been convicted for offences related to human trafficking since January 2020.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number of convictions for human trafficking offences at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: June 2024.

If she will take steps to ensure that cases involving members of the House of Lords convicted of serious crimes do not adversely impact public confidence in the criminal justice system.

All individuals, including members of the House of Lords, are held to be equal before the law. Decisions on bringing forward charges and prosecutions are for the police and Crown Prosecution Service, and the management of cases through the courts and sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary. Prosecutors have an overriding responsibility to act without fear, favour or prejudice. Therefore, any member of the House of Lords who commits a crime will face the appropriate consequences for their actions in our open and fair criminal justice system, just like any other member of the public.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of requesting the Sentencing Council for England and Wales produce guidelines on the sentencing of grooming gangs.

Child sexual abuse and exploitation are the most horrific of crimes and the Government is determined to act to strengthen the law in this area. This is why we have committed to legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, to ensure that this behaviour is reflected in the sentencing of perpetrators.  We will also make it a mandatory duty for those working with children to report child sexual abuse – a key recommendation of Professor Alexis Jay’s report – and this will go into the Crime and Policing Bill due to be introduced to Parliament this spring.As set out in previous responses, the Sentencing Council for England and Wales is independent of Parliament and Government. It therefore decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing sentencing guidelines. Sentencing guidelines for child sex offences, including for the offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming, were first published by the Council in 2013. Following consultation, revised guidelines for some child sex offences were published and came into force in May 2022.

What recent estimate she has made of when the Independent Review of Sentencing will be complete.

This Sentencing Review is chaired by former Lord Chancellor, David Gauke and aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders. The Review launched on Tuesday 22 October 2024 and is estimated to run for six months. We therefore expect that the review will report in Spring 2025.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of custodial sentences for child sexual offences in preventing reoffending.

Child sexual abuse and exploitation are the most horrific of crimes and the Government is determined to act to strengthen the law in this area. This is why we have committed to legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, to ensure that this behaviour is reflected in the sentencing of perpetrators.  We will also make it a mandatory duty for those working with children to report child sexual abuse – a key recommendation of Professor Alexis Jay’s report – and this will go into the Crime and Policing Bill due to be introduced to Parliament this spring.As set out in previous responses, the Sentencing Council for England and Wales is independent of Parliament and Government. It therefore decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing sentencing guidelines. Sentencing guidelines for child sex offences, including for the offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming, were first published by the Council in 2013. Following consultation, revised guidelines for some child sex offences were published and came into force in May 2022.

What discussions her Department has had with the independent Sentencing Council for England and Wales on the adequacy of sentencing guidelines for child sexual offences in (a) reflecting the severity of the crime and (b) preventing reoffending.

Child sexual abuse and exploitation are the most horrific of crimes and the Government is determined to act to strengthen the law in this area. This is why we have committed to legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, to ensure that this behaviour is reflected in the sentencing of perpetrators.  We will also make it a mandatory duty for those working with children to report child sexual abuse – a key recommendation of Professor Alexis Jay’s report – and this will go into the Crime and Policing Bill due to be introduced to Parliament this spring.As set out in previous responses, the Sentencing Council for England and Wales is independent of Parliament and Government. It therefore decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing sentencing guidelines. Sentencing guidelines for child sex offences, including for the offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming, were first published by the Council in 2013. Following consultation, revised guidelines for some child sex offences were published and came into force in May 2022.

What proportion of convictions for child sexual offences resulted in custodial sentences in (a) 2024, (b) 2014, (b) 2004 and (d) 1994.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the sentencing outcomes of criminal offences in England and Wales between the year ending June 2010 and year ending June 2024, in the Outcomes by Offence data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice...

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of sentencing guidelines for child sexual offences in (a) reflecting the severity of the crime and (b) preventing reoffending.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the independent Sentencing Council for England and Wales, in fulfilment of its statutory duty to do so.The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own p...

Whether her Department plans to reform sentencing guidelines for child sexual offences.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the independent Sentencing Council for England and Wales, in fulfilment of its statutory duty to do so.The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own p...

Whether her Department has consulted victims' groups and charities on potential reforms to sentencing guidelines for child sexual offences.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the independent Sentencing Council for England and Wales, in fulfilment of its statutory duty to do so.The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own p...

What comparative assessment her Department has made between the sentencing for child sexual offences in the UK and sentencing in other Western nations.

The criminal law in England and Wales provides a range of offences to deal with the scourge of child sexual abuse and provides robust penalties that reflect the seriousness of this offending. Child sexual offences generally carry high maximum penalties; f...