Speeches by Slaughter.

“The Foreign Secretary rightly says that we must use this agreement to establish a pathway to a two-state solution. Steps along that pathway were set out in the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice that was handed down last July, and they would provide the reassurance and security to allow for reconstr…”

“The Minister will no doubt be pleased that the Justice Committee has just announced an inquiry into drugs in prisons, with an emphasis on the use of drones by organised crime gangs to supply inmates. What makes it easy for drones to access prisons is the appalling state of prison maintenance. There is a £1.8 billion ba…”

“The Minister says that the US process for identifying genocide is different from ours. Where does she think we are in that process, and what role does she see for the Law Officers in making a determination? If it is a question of evidence, would she not be wise to follow the suggestion of the right hon. Member for Sutt…”

“It goes back to your point that everything is linked. Unless all the elements are there, the trial does not happen, does it?”

“Thank you for permitting me to join your Committee this morning. I should say, by way of declarations, that I am a non-practising barrister. Good morning to the witnesses. I do want to pursue this issue of funding, particularly over legal aid, but can we go back one step? You have already mentioned the Leveson review t…”

“It is still down over time. It is still down on 10 years ago.”

“I do not want to outstay my welcome, Chair, but I have one final point. Did you say a moment ago that the number of criminal barristers is increasing now? Our figures have shown that it has been going steadily down over time, as, indeed, has the number of defence solicitors. Yes, there has been some uplift in fees, but…”

“That is very much what it sounds like, because most of the things that I—and now you—have mentioned cost money. For some of them, I would have thought that it would be more efficient to use all the courts at Snaresbrook, because the judges can share the work out between themselves and you can take account of cracked tr…”

“I would have thought that you would put it that way around—that you would look at what are clearly the problems in the system as it is. That might be the fact that, rather than having one in five courts not sitting on any one day, you have this peculiar situation where you have Nightingale courts still running, presuma…”

“That is my point: that takes time.”

“One thing that would not be seen as undue pressure would be if prosecutors could, at an early date, indicate within the sentencing guidelines what the likely sentence would be for a guilty plea at that stage. Is that happening? Of course, you are not responsible for the CPS—that might be part of the problem—but I am su…”

“Thank you for your indulgence and your hospitality. I shall come again if asked.”

“I know. In deference to the Committee being figure-based, I will ask for two figures. First, what is the latest listing date you currently have in the Crown court? I heard yesterday about a bail case—a fraud case—being listed in 2028. Is that right? Are you listing in 2028, or even beyond that? Secondly, you have menti…”

“What is the latest date, then?”

“And when does Serco get a penalty if it does not deliver a prisoner?”

“The new year has seen an intensification of attacks on civilians, including medical staff, in northern Gaza. The UK Government’s response does not appear to have changed. The Minister is frustrated, because he is saying the same things to the same people and getting stonewalled every time. Do we not need to raise our g…”

“Merry Christmas, Mr Speaker. I welcome my hon. Friend to the Front Bench, and congratulate the former Solicitor General, my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Sarah Sackman), on her promotion to Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice. It is sometimes difficult to keep up with this …”

“I could not agree more. I cannot think of a single reason why we are not moving, as many other European countries have, towards immediate recognition. I heard previously from the Government, “We do not want to go it alone.” Well, now we are not just going it alone; we are going behind the curve. My final point—I do not…”

“I am most grateful to the Minister for giving way. May I return to recognition for a moment? The previous Government said that they would recognise Palestine when doing so best serves the object of peace. The current Government say they will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process. I …”

“I can be very brief, Mrs Harris, because this speech has been honed by repetition over the past year, since Israeli tanks, troops and planes went into Gaza against not only Hamas but, significantly, the civilian population without discrimination. It mirrors, on a larger scale, the previous attacks on Gaza over the past…”