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
8 results
1
Conclusion
Not Addressed
3rd 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 National Probation Service, CRCs and all other services providers along with the NHS to save …
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Government Response
The government acknowledges the committee's praise for the probation service's pandemic response but then, instead of responding to that, expresses its own concern about inconsistencies in probation delivery models and makes a recommendation to itself regarding guidance and monitoring.
Ministry of Justice
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3
Recommendation
Not Addressed
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
We are not clear as to why there is such wide variance across the estate...
We are not clear as to why there is such wide variance across the estate in type of regime and time out of cell. We agree with the Independent Monitoring Board and recommend that the Ministry of Justice set out …
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Government Response
The government explains the reasons for regime variance due to the pandemic and states that the current minimum out-of-cell time ranges from 1–3 hours, but it does not commit to setting out clear expectations for minimum time out of cell and activity for each phase of recovery.
Ministry of Justice
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8
Recommendation
Not Addressed
4th Report - Coronavirus (Covid-19…
Given that prisons have been in a state of lockdown for 15 weeks, we are...
Given that prisons have been in a state of lockdown for 15 weeks, we are pleased to hear that Exceptional Delivery Models for stage 3 are being developed and that there are hopes to relax the regime in the next …
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Government Response
The government describes the development, review, and amendments made to Exceptional Delivery Models (EDMs) and ongoing work with Public Health, but does not commit to keeping the Committee updated on specific prisons transitioning or their timeframes.
Ministry of Justice
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2
Recommendation
Not Addressed
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
There have been positive developments in providing online solutions to providing court services, but pending...
There have been positive developments in providing online solutions to providing court services, but pending full roll out of HMCTS’s cloud video platform, we recommend that the Ministry of Justice sets out the steps it is taking to ensure that …
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Government Response
The government's response does not address the recommendation to set out steps for lay parties' access to technology for remote hearings or to review the effectiveness of remote hearings for all participants before further rollout. Instead, it discusses reviews related to legal aid practitioners and diversity within the criminal legal aid profession.
Ministry of Justice
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4
Recommendation
Not Addressed
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
It is important that the legal professions properly represent the society they serve, not least...
It is important that the legal professions properly represent the society they serve, not least because they form a large part of the pool from which the Judiciary is drawn. The MOJ should set out what it will do to …
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Government Response
The government's response discusses its consideration of the Law Society's proposals for Standard Monthly Payments for Legal Aid providers and their reasons for not adopting them, failing to address the recommendation regarding the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 restrictions on BAME and state-educated legal professionals.
Ministry of Justice
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5
Conclusion
Not Addressed
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
Newly qualified barristers face particular pressure.
Newly qualified barristers face particular pressure.
Government Response
The government's response discusses support for Law Centres and not-for-profit providers, including emergency funding and new services, but does not address the observation regarding newly qualified barristers facing particular pressure.
Ministry of Justice
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8
Conclusion
Not Addressed
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
The furlough scheme has been very useful, with both solicitors’ firms and barristers’ chambers using...
The furlough scheme has been very useful, with both solicitors’ firms and barristers’ chambers using it to reduce staff costs. We heard that the loan schemes were less helpful, particularly for small high street firms.
Government Response
The government acknowledges that it introduced an unprecedented package of support measures during the pandemic, listing the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and Bounce Back Loan Scheme as available to legal practitioners and firms, but does not address the observation about the helpfulness of loan schemes.
Ministry of Justice
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12
Recommendation
Not Addressed
7th Report: Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice considers the Bar Council’s proposals for using alternative...
We recommend that the Ministry of Justice considers the Bar Council’s proposals for using alternative evidence (other than tax returns) for bringing new barristers and returning practitioners within the remit of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and that it report …
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Government Response
The government details its existing support measures and the reasons for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme's eligibility criteria, but it does not commit to considering the Bar Council's proposals for alternative evidence or reporting back on them.
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