Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on prison, probation and court systems
Justice Committee
Closed
Inquiry
This inquiry looked at the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on prisons, probation services, court systems and legal professions. Read the key points in an interactive summary of our four reports on the impact of coronavirus on the justice system .
26
Recommendations
16
Conclusions
3
Reports
80
Letters
5
Events
Activity timeline 87 events
9 Mar
2021
2021
24 Feb
2021
2021
24 Feb
2021
2021
3 Feb
2021
2021
3 Feb
2021
2021
27 Jan
2021
2021
19 Jan
2021
2021
19 Jan
2021
2021
Formal meeting · Virtual meeting
15 Jan
2021
2021
18 Dec
2020
2020
16 Dec
2020
2020
Reports 3 reports · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19): the impact on the legal prof… | HC 520 | 3 Aug 2020 | 16 | Responded |
| 4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19): The impact on prisons | HC 299 | 27 Jul 2020 | 16 | Responded |
| 3rd Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on probation serv… | HC 461 | 20 Jul 2020 | 10 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
1
Conclusion
Acknowledged
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
The Covid-19 pandemic poses an urgent threat to public health and safety.
The Covid-19 pandemic poses an urgent threat to public health and safety. It is an unprecedented situation that has required an immediate response by the prison service to protect the NHS and save lives. We praise the Prison Service and …
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Government Response
The government thanked the committee for its support and affirmed its continued efforts to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in custody and the community.
Ministry of Justice
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2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
The Committee recognise the necessity of the measures introduced to minimise the spread of the...
The Committee recognise the necessity of the measures introduced to minimise the spread of the virus and save lives and commend staff and prisoners for adapting to these changes. However, we do not believe that the current regime is sustainable …
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Government Response
The government acknowledges concerns about the long-term sustainability and impact of the prison regime, outlining its National Framework for easing restrictions and detailing mitigations like increased testing and maintaining purposeful activity where safe.
Ministry of Justice
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14
Recommendation
Acknowledged
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
We recommend, however, that the Government investigate the reasons behind the relatively high level of...
We recommend, however, that the Government investigate the reasons behind the relatively high level of remand into custody and explain the reasons behind that, particularly given the pressures on the custodial estate during the coronavirus outbreak.
Government Response
The government acknowledges the increased proportion of youth in custody on remand and attributes it to factors like a lower overall population and more serious offenses. It notes that courts are clearing backlogs and prioritizing youth cases.
Ministry of Justice
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3
Conclusion
Acknowledged
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
Publicly funded legal services providers were already under stress before coronavirus.
Publicly funded legal services providers were already under stress before coronavirus.
Government Response
The government acknowledges the challenges faced by legal service providers by detailing a range of support measures introduced during the pandemic, including the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and various loan schemes, and commits to continuing to monitor the legal aid market.
Ministry of Justice
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6
Conclusion
Acknowledged
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
Small high street firms are particularly at risk from the effects of coronavirus restrictions.
Small high street firms are particularly at risk from the effects of coronavirus restrictions.
Government Response
The government implicitly acknowledges the risks to small high street firms by detailing ongoing engagement with legal aid providers, revised guidance, and committing to an independently led review of the criminal legal aid market and broader reviews of civil legal aid to ensure market sustainability.
Ministry of Justice
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11
Conclusion
Acknowledged
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
It is important that the legal professions are in good shape to deal with the...
It is important that the legal professions are in good shape to deal with the increase in demand for legal advice and representation that is on the horizon.
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of a resilient legal profession by detailing a range of support measures introduced during the pandemic and committing to continuing to monitor the legal aid market as demand increases, taking necessary action to maintain access to justice.
Ministry of Justice
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Correspondence 80 letters
9 Mar 2021
Letter dated 4 March 2021 from Sir Robert Neill MP, Chair, Justice Committee, to the Attorney General, on Statutory Instrument - The Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 (Specified Proceedings) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Order 2021
Parliament page
24 Feb 2021
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 16 February 2021, regarding funding of Nightingale court sites
Parliament page
24 Feb 2021
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 9 February 2021, regarding the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 Order 2021
Parliament page
3 Feb 2021
To committee
Letter from Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 29 January 21, regarding Custody Time Limits
Parliament page
3 Feb 2021
To committee
Letter from Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 January 2021, regarding Rapid Testing pilot at Manchester Civil Justice Centre
Parliament page
27 Jan 2021
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 20 January 2021, regarding follow up to the evidence session on 1 December
Parliament page
19 Jan 2021
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 13 January 2021, regarding Prosecution of Offences Regulations 2021
Parliament page
15 Jan 2021
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 8 January 2021, regarding evictions SI
Parliament page
16 Dec 2020
To committee
Letter from Chair to Foreign and Commonwealth Office, dated 16 December 2020, regarding Lugano
Parliament page
15 Dec 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 8 December 2020, regarding update on coronavirus protection from evictions
Parliament page
1 Dec 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor & Secretary of State for Justice, dated 25 November 2020, regarding custody time limits
Parliament page
25 Nov 2020
To committee
Letter from Sir Robert Neill MP, Chair, Justice Committee, to Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on Public Health (Coronavirus) (Protection from Eviction and Taking Control of Goods) (England) Regulations 2020
Parliament page
13 Oct 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 7 October 2020, regarding issuing of fixed penalty notices
Parliament page
29 Sep 2020
To committee
Letter from Dame Anne Owers, National Chair, Independent Monitoring Boards, dated 22 September 2020, regarding update on IMBs findings
Parliament page
29 Sep 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 September 2020, regarding the resumption of possession proceedings after 20 September
Parliament page
16 Sep 2020
To committee
Letter from Chair to Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 16 September 2020, regarding Fixed Penalty Notices
Parliament page
10 Sep 2020
To committee
Letter from Chair to Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 10 September 2020, regarding extension of the stay on possession proceedings
Parliament page
9 Sep 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 24 August 2020, regarding extending the temporary stay on possession proceedings
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020
Written evidence from Fair Trials
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 19 July 2020, regarding additional Courts and Tribunals Capacity programme
Parliament page
15 Jul 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 7 July 2020, regarding the impact of COVID-19 on criminal enforcement
Parliament page
8 Jul 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 30 June 2020, regarding Court and Tribunal recovery update
Parliament page
8 Jul 2020
To committee
Letter from Dame Anne Owers, National Chair, Independent Monitoring Boards, dated 2 July 2020, regarding update on IMB findings
Parliament page
1 Jul 2020
To committee
Letter from Chris Philp MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, dated 17 June 2020, regarding release of HMCTS' weekly operational management information dashboard
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Law Centres Network
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Young Legal Aid Lawyers
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Law Society's Junior Lawyers Division
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Legal Aid Practitioners
Parliament page
30 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Transform Justice
Parliament page
24 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Arthur Michael Robinson
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020
Covid-19 briefing from Unlock
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon The Lord Burnett of Maldon, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, dated 9 June 2020, regarding open justice
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020
Covid-19 briefing from Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020
Covid-19 briefing from Criminal Justice Alliance
Parliament page
17 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 10 June, regarding reforms to probation services
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Dame Anne Owers, National Chair, Independent Monitoring Boards, dated 3 June 2020, regarding update on findings
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, regarding Covid 19 plans for easing of restrictions
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Juliet Lyon, Chair, Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody, dated 1 June 2020, regarding rapid review of prisoner experiences under Covid-19
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Suella Braverman QC MP, Attorney General, dated 3 June 2020, regarding SI on Prosecution of Offences Act 1985
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Chair to Attorney General, dated 9 June 2020, in response to her letter of 3 June
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from the Children's Rights Alliance for England and the Youth Justice Legal Centre, part of Just for Kids Law
Parliament page
10 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Chris Philp MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, dated 3 June 2020, regarding changes made to mitigate the impact of Covid 19 on the Courts and Tribunal System
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Prisons and Probation, dated 26 May 2020, regarding HMPPS reporting of staff cases of Covid-19
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Prisons and Probation, dated 22 May 2020, regarding deployment of temporary Accommodation across the Prison Estate as part of covid 19 mitigation plan
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from JUSTICE
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Prisons and Probation, dated 28 May 2020, regarding covid 19 testing for prison and probation staff
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Howard League for Penal Reform
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 May 2020, regarding CPT Statement of Principles
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Prison Reform Trust
Parliament page
4 Jun 2020
Covid 19 briefing from Clinks
Parliament page
28 May 2020
COVID-19 briefing from NACRO
Parliament page
28 May 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Prison Reform Trust
Parliament page
28 May 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Clinks
Parliament page
28 May 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 15 May 2020, regarding Covid 19 in prisons family contact
Parliament page
22 May 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 11 May 2020, regarding resumption of jury trials
Parliament page
13 May 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 4 May 2020, regarding COVID 19 testing for prison and probation staff
Parliament page
5 May 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, dated 5 May 2020, regarding Covid-19 impact on legal sector
Parliament page
5 May 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, dated 28 April 2020, regarding update on the Prison Estate
Parliament page
5 May 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 28 April 2020, regarding Covid 19 in prisons PHE modelling
Parliament page
28 Apr 2020
To committee
Letter from Susan Acland-Hood, Chief Executive, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, dated 27 April 2020, relating to Covid 19 the impact on prison, probation and court systems
Parliament page
22 Apr 2020
To committee
Letter from Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, dated 6 April 2020 regarding an update on Covid-19
Parliament page
22 Apr 2020
To committee
Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 1 April 2020, regarding temporary release from custody of pregnant prisoners
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Women in Prison: additional material on women's Centre planning for release
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Transform Justice
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from JUSTICE
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
To committee
Letter from Sir Robert Neill to Lord Chancellor, dated 8 April 2020 regarding Committee hearing on 7 April 2020
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from the Public and Commercial Services Union
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Women in Prison
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from an Individual Barrister
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from INQUEST
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Prison Governors Association
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Magistrates Association
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Switchback
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Standing Committee for Youth Justice
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Revolving Doors Agency
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Prison Reform Trust
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Howard League
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
To committee
Letter from Chair to Chancellor of Exchequer, dated 8 April 2020, on future of legal professions
Parliament page
8 Apr 2020
COVID-19 briefing from Criminal Justice Alliance
Parliament page