Speeches by Cox.

“I was struck by something you said, Paula, that all these agencies like the police and other agencies come to Unlock for guidance. Why do they not go to the Disclosure and Barring Service, which is a Government agency?”

“What advice does it give?”

“That would be interesting to know, given the scale of the challenge. If one in four people have a criminal record, as we are told in the brief and by you, some people must function with a criminal record. How does that happen? Where are the stories where people have been able to negotiate? It is important for us to be …”

“Chair, I would quite like the Committee to write to the service to find out what its role is relative to what we are hearing here.”

“I completely agree.”

“Sure. We are in a situation where we need to maintain criminal records, but that need not have a cumulative disadvantaging effect on people over time. That is where I guess we want to get to. What two or three headline reforms do you want to see?”

“Do you have examples of good, inclusive workplaces here that perform better than DBS?”

“Is there a list anywhere of large employers that work both in prison and on the outside? I know Timpson does, but is there a list?”

“For all offences?”

“You were talking about stitching mail bags. We visited Buckley Hall, where they were not stitching mail bags, but there was a very high-tech textiles workshop where they were stitching other products. What is your experience of a large employer—and that was a large local employer using the prison workforce there—being …”

“Is there a list anywhere of large employers that work both in prison and on the outside? I know Timpson does, but is there a list?”

“That would be interesting to know, given the scale of the challenge. If one in four people have a criminal record, as we are told in the brief and by you, some people must function with a criminal record. How does that happen? Where are the stories where people have been able to negotiate? It is important for us to be …”

“Sure. We are in a situation where we need to maintain criminal records, but that need not have a cumulative disadvantaging effect on people over time. That is where I guess we want to get to. What two or three headline reforms do you want to see?”

“Like so many Members who have spoken in this debate—and I have heard every contribution—I wish to pay tribute to those who serve, to veterans, and to their family members. Those who serve do an extraordinary job, and they do so at our direction and on our behalf. It is therefore our moral duty, which we are reaffirming…”

“I welcome the amendments that deal with IPP sentences. This is a matter of concern to many Members on both sides of the House. Can the Minister assure us that following the changes to IPP licence termination, these sentences will continue to provide for community rehabilitation, while protecting communities from harm? …”

“Good afternoon. I am Pam Cox, a former historian of the criminal justice system. I am chair of the all-party parliamentary group on penal affairs and my other interests are as declared.”

“I had finished.”

“I am talking about our legal history. There is a lot of talk here about there being an ancient right to jury trial. I am looking at that to ask whether there is.”

“Good afternoon. I am Pam Cox, a former historian of the criminal justice system. I am chair of the all-party parliamentary group on penal affairs and my other interests are as declared.”

“Thank you. I think that is probably all I need on that; I will move on to the hearing question. The Leveson review and the Government have both stressed that jury trials for the most serious indictable-only offences have more than doubled in hearing time since 2001. Why do you think that has occurred?”