Speeches by Bishop.

“My last question is to Mr Atkinson. I think you touched on this previously. A “yes” or “no” answer might suffice. Are there enough duty solicitors to cope with the increase in cases in the magistrates court?”

“Given the recent high-profile case involving the hotel chain Travelodge, which I know the Minister has been involved in, does she agree that tackling violence against women and girls must include clearer legal duties for companies to co-operate fully with the safeguarding expectations of customers?”

“I am Matt Bishop, Member of Parliament for Forest of Dean. My interests are as declared. My previous occupation was as a serving police officer for three forces.”

“Many people still have to repeatedly prove who they are to different parts of Government. Does the Chief Secretary agree that a trusted digital identity system could make public services simpler and more secure for citizens, while protecting privacy?”

“I completely agree. Children must never be used as a tool through which abuse can continue after separation. Removing the presumption also sends a clear message that children’s safety and wellbeing must always come first. Reforms of this scale will rightly be scrutinised as the Bill progresses, but the alternative—doin…”

“At the heart of the reforms before us today is one word and one simple question: the word is victims and the question is, how do we ensure that victims actually receive the justice that they are promised? Hon. Members will know that before coming to this place I served as a police officer over three different forces. D…”

“I thank the Minister for his updates. The Home Secretary was absolutely right last week that the public expect a controlled and orderly immigration system. I fully support her plans, but can the Minister say more about how quickly the measures announced will be implemented, and how the Home Office will ensure that they…”

“I am on the Justice Committee, but I also have a unique background, as I was a police officer until fairly recently. We all know the stats and the figures about delays in the court systems and prison overcrowding. In the most up-to-date figures, we have 76,000 cases open in the Crown court by March last year, although …”

“This is my last question. Liz may primarily answer this. From your cross-jurisdictional experiences, which potential additional funding proposals would be most beneficial in improving access to justice?”

“I will push back a bit on the pro bono conversation there. As a layman, not a lawyer, I would have thought that CPD is obviously important for solicitors, barristers and lawyers. Are lawyers themselves required to do enough to support access for justice, for example through pro bono work?”

“Good afternoon. I am Matt Bishop, Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean. My interests are as on the register, but just to highlight that I am a member of the GMB trade union and that my previous occupation was a police officer.”

“This is my last question. Liz may primarily answer this. From your cross-jurisdictional experiences, which potential additional funding proposals would be most beneficial in improving access to justice?”

“I will push back a bit on the pro bono conversation there. As a layman, not a lawyer, I would have thought that CPD is obviously important for solicitors, barristers and lawyers. Are lawyers themselves required to do enough to support access for justice, for example through pro bono work?”

“I thank the Leader of the Opposition for giving way. [Interruption.] Sorry, the leader of the Liberal Democrats—I stand corrected. [Hon. Members: “More!”] It’s coming. I asked the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister yesterday in this House about the speed of bringing legislation forward. Victims, Members of this Hous…”

“Good afternoon. I am Matt Bishop, Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean. My interests are as on the register, but just to highlight that I am a member of the GMB trade union and that my previous occupation was a police officer.”

“Possibly, but not necessarily all of them. There will be lots of new ones coming up, with the updates today from the Deputy Prime Minister.”

“I hope the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister agrees that any investigation into any matter should be done in an appropriate and timely way. I know that it is an independent investigation, but can he advise the House on what the timescale for the investigation may be and, if it is not very quick, whether it can be b…”

“I thank the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister for his statement. I welcome comments from the Prime Minister calling for legislation to remove peerages from disgraced peers such as Mandelson, and I hope he will go even further and look at the line of succession in the royal family—I welcome those updates. My constit…”

“The hon. Member is saying that police funding has been cut and that we are getting rid of police and crime commissioners, but is the money not better spent directly with police forces than in the offices of police and crime commissioners?”

“The shadow Minister talks about reductions in officer numbers. Has he considered perhaps that those officers were coming to retirement, or were suffering ill health and were on restricted duties, and were not the officers seen by the public on the street, so the public perception is just the same?”