Tag: criminal justice

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about action against forced marriage

On 8th March the Bishop of St Albans received written answers to two questions on forced marriage:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people were (1) charged, and (2) convicted, with (a) forcing someone to marry, and (b) breaching a forced marriage protection order, under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, in (i) 2016, (ii) 2017, (iii) 2018, (iv) 2019, and (v) 2020. [HL13499]

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about experiences of female prison leavers

The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 22nd February 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked Her Majesty’s Government whether the recent announcement to provide temporary basic accommodation to support prison leavers at risk of homelessness in five National Probation Service regions will include (1) women-only accommodation, and (2) provisions for specific support for vulnerable women with complex needs.

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Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill: Bishop of Manchester supports amendments on evidentiary standards

On 9th February 2021, the House of Lords debated the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill in committee. The Bishop of Manchester spoke in support of amendments on standards of proof and suspicion of guilt, raising issues of bias and risks of alienation:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester [V]: My Lords, I draw the Committee’s attention to my interest in criminal justice matters, specifically as chair of the Greater Manchester Police independent ethics committee, as set out in the register.

I am grateful to the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, for tabling Amendment 28. I also note with interest Amendment 27 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Anderson. His arguments are powerful, not least in distinguishing clearly between belief and a mere suspicion, a distinction which for me as a bishop lies at the heart of my day job.

As I indicated to your Lordships’ House in my maiden speech at Second Reading, this is a Bill that I welcome and support. My city of Manchester has all too recently suffered a terrorist attack that killed 22 innocent people and maimed and traumatised hundreds more. We remain deeply grateful for the support we received from members of this House, government Ministers and many others at that time and since.

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Votes: Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill

On 9th February 2021, the House of Lord debated the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:

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Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London supports amendment on provision of medical letters for abuse victims

On 8th February 2021, during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill, the Bishop of London spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Lord Kennedy of Southwark which would aim to prevent GPs who had a contract with the NHS from charging victims of domestic abuse for letters confirming their injuries which they would need in order to seek legal aid:

The Lord Bishop of London [V]: My Lords, I add my voice to this amendment simply because it should go without saying that some things need to be penned into law for there to be consistent access to justice. Amendment 161 has been tabled because it prevents GPs charging survivors of domestic abuse for letters which confirm injuries they have suffered—evidence which survivors need for their legal aid applications. The case for this amendment has been extremely well made by the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, and the noble Baroness, Lady Bull. I agree with the statements they have made, so there is no need to add much to what has been said.

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Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports amendments on protection for victims of modern slavery and domestic violence in the criminal justice system

On 3rd February 2021, the Bishop of Gloucester spoke in support of amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill which would aim to provide protection for victims of domestic violence and modern slavery under self-defence law:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester [V]: My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 139 and 140, to which I have added my name. I draw attention to my interests set out in the register. It is an immense privilege to support the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy; I am grateful for her immense wisdom, knowledge and experience. I am also grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, for her excellent and candid laying out of the issues. It is a privilege to follow her.

In my role as Anglican bishop for women’s prisons and my recent appointment as Anglican bishop for the whole prison estate in England and Wales, I have made prison visits and spoken with prisoners, volunteers and staff, including governors and chaplains. As president of the Nelson Trust, I have heard first-hand the positive impact of trauma-informed practice in its excellent work with women serving their sentences in the community and women leaving prison.

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Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London sponsors amendment on non-fatal strangulation

The Bishop of London spoke during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill on 3rd February 2021, supporting an amendment which would define the act of non-fatal strangulation in a domestic abuse context as an indictable offence and calling for a modernised response to domestic violence cases:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I thank noble Lords who have preceded me and those who will follow. I also thank the steady campaigners, researchers and wider members of civil society for their tenacity in bringing the issue of non-fatal strangulation to the forefront of the Bill. It is something so nuanced that, if addressed, it has the potential to change the trajectory of women’s lives post strangulation.

Researchers, lobbyists and specialist organisations alike have spent significant proportions of their lives trying to highlight the one thing that we all know to be true: that there is almost always more than meets the eye. That said, I am delighted to have heard that the Government are committed to addressing this issue, and it is good to have heard so many noble Lords speak in favour of the amendment at Second Reading and today.

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Bishop of Gloucester asks about tackling crown court backlog

The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the importance of crime diversion and community police provision on 26th January 2021, during a discussion on the crown court backlog for serious criminal cases:

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: I draw attention to my interest on the register as the Anglican bishop for Her Majesty’s prisons. The backlog of cases has a serious impact on offenders, victims and witnesses. On top of this, projections from the Ministry of Justice show that the prison population is expected to jump to almost 100,000 in 2026, which adversely affects prison staff as well as prisoners. Does the Minister agree that resources could be better spent on police-led diversion work and community-based provision, which could start now?

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Votes: Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill

On 13th January 2021, the House of Lords debated amendments to the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill. Votes were held on the amendments, in which Bishops took part:

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‘Spycops’ and gambling related harm

In the House of Lords on 13th January 2021 the Bishop of Durham spoke during the debate on the Covert Human Intelligence Bill and the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on support for those living with gambling-related harm. Details below:

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