Fifty-Second Report - Key challenges facing the Ministry of Justice
Select Committee
Public Accounts Committee
HC 1190
24 March 2021
Government response
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Fifty-second report from Session 2019-21 · published 2 Sep 2021
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
2
Recommendation
Not Addressed
The pandemic has significantly impacted the wellbeing and life chances of prisoners, making it critical...
Recommendation
The pandemic has significantly impacted the wellbeing and life chances of prisoners, making it critical that the Ministry and HMPPS accelerate their work to improve the mental health of prisoners. The need for restrictive regimes to maintain social distancing in …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government's response is irrelevant to the recommendation, discussing DHSC and NHS Digital's identification of vulnerable people and health data strategy, rather than progress on prisoner mental health initiatives by the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS.
HM Treasury
View Details
3
Recommendation
Not Addressed
We have limited confidence in the Ministry’s plans for reducing the backlog in the court...
Recommendation
We have limited confidence in the Ministry’s plans for reducing the backlog in the court system, particularly in criminal courts. The backlog in criminal courts was growing before the pandemic, and many organisations have warned that it could take years …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government's response is irrelevant to the recommendation, discussing NHS Digital and DHSC's analysis of local variation in the Shielded Patient List rather than the Ministry's plan to reduce court backlogs.
HM Treasury
View Details
4
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Despite previous warnings, the Ministry and HMCTS do not yet have a firm grip on...
Recommendation
Despite previous warnings, the Ministry and HMCTS do not yet have a firm grip on the data they need to understand how effective the court reform programme is or its impact on users. Despite past delays, the Ministry says that …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government response discusses shielding support for clinically extremely vulnerable individuals and the role of local councils, failing entirely to address the recommendation regarding the court reform programme and the Digital Justice report.
HM Treasury
View Details
6
Recommendation
Not Addressed
Despite the efforts of staff during the pandemic, there are clear signs of strain on...
Recommendation
Despite the efforts of staff during the pandemic, there are clear signs of strain on people working across courts and tribunals, prisons and probation services. We remain concerned about the unprecedented pressures facing frontline staff at this time. HMPPS says …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government response is boilerplate text about the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and does not address the recommendation to identify and agree specific actions with professional bodies to support staff managing pandemic recovery strain.
HM Treasury
View Details
1
Conclusion
Not Addressed
We took evidence from the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) and its executive agencies, HM...
Conclusion
We took evidence from the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) and its executive agencies, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) on the challenges facing the justice system, including courts, prisons and probation services.
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government response provides a general introduction to the committee report and its own response, reiterating the context of the committee's inquiry and the challenges faced by the justice system due to the pandemic.
HM Treasury
View Details
18
Conclusion
HMPPS assured us that as the programme to reunify probation services was on scheduled to...
Conclusion
HMPPS assured us that as the programme to reunify probation services was on scheduled to complete in June 2021. It told us that it was consistently monitoring the caseloads of probations officers but that these remain high. HMPPS told us …
Read more
HM Treasury
View Details