Speeches by Munt.

“It has been raining hard in my constituency and across the west country generally. I pay tribute to Somerset council, North Somerset council, the internal drainage board and the Environment Agency for their work. The land, however, is saturated. If one were to put the water in Somerset and the little bit of North Somer…”

“I am sorry. I get going on this. I love this subject.”

“I have two questions I want to ask you. You had done some polling about the potential reforms you were looking for to the criminal records checks. Who did your polling for you and what were the headlines of your research?”

“I welcome the Minister’s announcement and I know that it will bring some joy, particularly with the further announcements he is going to make later in the Parliament, to many of the residents in my part of the west country. May I draw his attention to the housing with care sector? I am talking not about those gated com…”

“Are there other aspects like perhaps travel?”

“Yes. For my other question, I am aware that you have had endorsement from Sir Brian Leveson. I am also aware that the Lord Chancellor said the Government would take up opportunities to simplify criminal records. Has that conversation gone anywhere? How much time have you spent talking to the Lord Chancellor about this?”

“We have picked up that employment piece, and the education piece is important. I wonder if you could talk about the impact of having a criminal record and the disclosure of that. How might that impact on somebody’s rehabilitation opportunities?”

“Good. Is that turning into something material?”

“Thank you very much indeed.”

“It is such a big change. That 7.3 million will rise because a lot of people want to know what is held on them.”

“Thank you, that was helpful. You said it was complicated about how long certain types of criminal record are held and revealed on different sorts of checks. Is there a document somewhere? Is it possible for you to write to the Chair?”

“Okay. I should know this because I am working here: can I apply to do a check on myself?”

“Thank you. I have a particular interest because I have a piece of casework, and I might have to speak to you later. How common are errors or outdated information on DBS certificates?”

“Thank you. Can I ask a quick question? I know that some new arrangements came into play last Wednesday.”

“Can people check their own record?”

“Do they know that the tutor has requested it? They will not know that.”

“Is it easy to correct something that is incorrect?”

“Quickly, do you sense a difference between younger offenders and those who are perhaps older in their chances of going into employment? I wondered.”

“I was wondering particularly about younger people who may have been involved in things like county lines, who can turn their lives around if they are in a different place or in a different set of circumstances and away from trouble.”

“As a last observation, it was quite interesting when members of the Committee visited HMP Bronzefield, where prison staff were bringing local employers into the prison to speak with prisoners with the aim of reducing that stigma of hiring ex-offenders. Probably the more that happens, it sounds as though that would be a…”