Speeches by Davies-Jones.

“Hopefully the Committee will be aware that we have increased probation funding by up to £700 million as a result of the sentencing review and the spending review, to recognise the fact that we will need more probation officers, better equipment, better training, better guidance on exactly how we can keep the public saf…”

“It is a very ambitious target. As you said, it is a huge undertaking and one that we are not doing lightly. We have delayed the strategy and we are working across government to get it to the right place to publish as soon as possible. The spending review was recently conducted, as you will be aware. Now each Department…”

“Not so much resource or capacity, it is more that we want to understand how best it is being used currently and make sure that we get it to the right place for existing cohorts of victims rather than expanding it or reducing it.”

“I want to publish it as soon as possible, but we want to get it right. We do not want to have to revise it or it not being received well by women and girls, the country, the sector. It has to be right. I do not want to say that this is our one chance, but it is a strategy that will outline the direction of Government p…”

“Our impact evaluation on section 28 has shown some real benefits to victims. Rape Crisis England and Wales has said that having access to section 28 has meant a victim being engaged in the criminal justice process and choosing to stay and seek a criminal prosecution or not. That speaks volumes, especially when we know …”

“It is listening, primarily, to those on the ground operating this day to day, whether that be victims directly, the sector, the CPS, the judiciary, HMCTS, all our represented stakeholders here. It is important that we make sure that we have the best technological equipment, as I have already said, so that this evidence…”

“Yes, the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls in the Home Office and I have been having many trilateral meetings across government with every single Government Department involved in this. I can assure the Honourable Member that the majority of Government Departments are involved—we are even t…”

“You would have to ask them directly.”

“I heard this come up in the previous evidence session. It is not something we have currently, no, but you will be aware of the Leveson review, as I have already said, in terms of how we improve the backlog in our Crown Courts, specifically for those who are victims of specific cases that we know are taking far too long…”

“I welcome that question, Sir Ashley. There was a victims’ representative on the sentencing review panel looking at this specifically. I personally met with many victims and survivors directly to discuss the sentencing Bill and the review in detail. I meet regularly with the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, …”

“This is something that we are currently looking at. However, there may be many reasons why the judge in question chooses not to apply the special measures and it is important that the judge has the discretion there in each specific case. We of course have made sure that vulnerable witnesses and those who are intimidate…”

“I would say that the worst thing of all that we could do for victims and survivors would be running out of prison places. It would be having a criminal justice system that is not sustainable and fit for purpose. The Committee will know that this Government inherited an entire criminal justice system in crisis, prisons …”

“Transparency in sentencing is something that came out of the sentencing review quite loudly and it is something that I have heard from victims and survivors. I have had the privilege—privilege or deep sadness—to meet with far too many victims and survivors in this role. They have told me directly that they believe that…”

“I think that victims want a criminal justice system that they can believe in. Ultimately, that means ensuring that there is always a prison place available for a perpetrator of violence. If we do not look at a different way of looking at sentencing, that is just not sustainable. As I have said, we also need to build mo…”

“I think that if section 28 is the best way of giving evidence for that vulnerable or intimidated witness, we should be looking at how best to keep them engaged in the criminal justice system. If it means the difference between them giving their evidence and it getting to court rather than them pulling out of the system…”

“It is. The Minister for Safeguarding and I met with the previous Economic Secretary to the Treasury on this, looking at how we look at cohabitation rights reform as well, which the Member will know was in our manifesto, looking at how we can boost cohabitation rights looking forward. That is something that we are consi…”

“It is important to recognise the work of the end-to-end Rape Review from the previous Government. It is brilliant work in terms of recognising the issue of rape cases. Operation Soteria, as was outlined by the previous witness in their session, did some great things in bringing to the forefront the police response in h…”

“You would have to ask them directly.”

“All the impact assessments have been done as part of the sentencing Bill and will have been published as part of the Bill disclosure. I am sure that the Member will be able to ask the Sentencing Minister about this at Second Reading next week.”

“That is the goal, absolutely, in terms of reducing the levels of crime overall, reducing the numbers of victims and to boost confidence across the criminal justice system. As I have said, one of the biggest aims is that we make better citizens and not better criminals. It is about how we break that cycle of offending t…”