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Departmental Recycling

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how much and what proportion of its waste his Department recycled in each of the last five years; [174420]

(2) what (a) volume and (b) percentage of its waste his Department recycled in each of the last five years. [172516]

Maria Eagle: As the Ministry of Justice was created in May 2007 this answer refers to the performance of the delivery bodies previously belonging to the Home Office and Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA).

HM Prison Service is implementing a structured waste management programme across the public sector managed prisons estate. Waste management and processing within prisons, in the main, includes setting
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in place waste management units employing prisoners in the separation and processing of materials from the waste stream for recycling.

1. Financial year 2002-03 the total waste arising reported was 2,837 tonnes, the total waste processed for recycling was 1,081 tonnes providing an average percent of waste arising recycled to be 38 per cent. (Hazardous waste not included)

2. Financial year 2003-04 the total waste arising reported was 4,800 tonnes, the total waste processed for recycling was 1,396 tonnes providing an average percent of waste arising recycled to be 29 per cent.

3. Financial year 2004-05 the total waste arising reported was 9,229 tonnes, the total waste processed for recycling was 3,851 tonnes providing an average percent of waste arising recycled to be 42 per cent.

4. Financial year 2005-06 the total waste arising reported was 12,868 tonnes, the total waste processed for recycling was 5,569 tonnes providing an average percent of waste arising recycled to be 43 per cent.

5. Financial year 2006-07 the total waste arising reported was 15,960 tonnes, the total waste processed for recycling was 7,022 tonnes providing an average percent of waste arising recycled to be 44 per cent.

The former DCA had a policy of recycling but did not collect any historical data on the amount of waste recycled. As part of the establishment of the Ministry of Justice, and to help measure progress towards the sustainable operations on the Government estate targets, a waste management strategy has been developed and is currently being implemented across the estate. The waste management strategy will enable the Department to increase the quantities of waste recycled and report on progress to the Sustainable Development Commission.

Departmental Responsibilities

Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what (a) reviews, (b) consultations and (c) taskforces his Department is (i) responsible for and (ii) scheduled to undertake; on what date each (A) started and (B) is expected to be completed; and what the purpose is of each. [172548]

Maria Eagle: A list of ad hoc reviews, groups and taskforces that have commenced and those that have been announced by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) but are yet to commence is set out in the following table. Consultations being conducted by the MoJ are published on the departmental website at:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/consultations.htm

The purpose of each consultation is provided at the beginning of each paper.

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Operated by Directorate/Agency	Provide name/details of review or taskforce	What is the purpose of the review or taskforce?	When is it planned to start and when is it due to finish?	Has a ministerial statement been made and when?
An independent joint review of restraint commissioned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Department for Children, Schools and Families.	The review is led by Peter Smallridge CBE and Andrew Williamson CBE.	The review will consider policy and practice across all secure juvenile settings, taking account of the use of restraint in young offender institutions, secure training centres and secure children's homes.	Ministers appointed the joint Chairs on 8 October. The chairs have been asked to report their recommendations by 4 April 2008.	David Hanson made an announcement on 28 July 2007.
Review commissioned by the Prime Minister and not the Ministry of Justice. The staff and funding are provided by this Department.	Goldsmith Review of Citizenship.	To articulate more clearly the significance of citizenship, and develop recommendations to ensure that our approach to citizenship is appropriate for modern issues of migration, identity and civic participation.	Started on 5 October, expected to report in spring 2008.	Announced in Green Paper on Governance of Britain.
National Offender Management Service.	Lord Carter's Review of the Prison System in England and Wales—independent third party review.	To consider options for improving the balance between the supply of prison places and demand for them, and to make recommendations on how this could be achieved.	Started in June 2007 and has just finished, on 5 December 2007.	Ministerial oral statement made by Justice Secretary on 5 December, repeated by Lord Hunt in the Lords.
Cabinet Office led. Strategy Group leading in MoJ.	Data handling in Government.	To ensure that all Departments and all agencies check their procedures for the storage and use of data.	Started on 21 November 2007. No closing date announced.	Prime Minister announced on 21 November at PMQs.
Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Race, Confidence and Justice Unit.	Race For Justice.	The Race for Justice programme of work aims to improve the service offered to victims of hate crime by CJS agencies.	Started summer 2006—expected to be completed by summer 2009.	Launched by the Attorney-General and Gerry Sutcliffe via ministerial statements June 2006.
Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Better Trials Unit.	Tackling Gangs Action Programme.	We are inputting on the witness protection side.	Ends 31 March 2008.	Home Secretary made statement on 9 September.
Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Better Trials Unit.	Anonymity in sex offence cases.	To see if the Court of Appeal should be given the power to displace complainant anonymity where they consider that the allegation was false and malicious.	The review was commenced following the Court of Appeal's decision on 12 September 2006 to quash the conviction in the case of Blackwell. It is expected to conclude early in 2008.	Review announced in reply to PQ 29 November 2006.
Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Better Trials Unit.	Third party disclosure review.	To set up arrangements for the disclosure of material by third parties to criminal investigations, proceedings, and reviews of possible miscarriages of justice which enable practitioners to carry out the duties imposed on them more satisfactorily, and so make for a more modern and efficient criminal justice process.	The review commenced in October 2005.	No.
National Offender Management Service.	A working group to be established to examine the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of a structured sentencing framework and permanent sentencing commission. To be chaired by a senior member of the judiciary.	As recommended by Lord Carter's Review of the Prison System—to examine the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of a structured sentencing framework and permanent sentencing commission.	Government announced intention to set up working group on 5 December, in response to Lord Carter's Review of the Prison System. Intention is that it should report to the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice by summer 2008.	Working group announced in Justice Secretary oral statement on 5 December.
Ministry of Justice Constitution Directorate.	Review of voting systems.	Its purpose is to review the experience of the new voting systems introduced in the United Kingdom to inform the debate about whether changes should be made to the electoral system for the House of Commons.	This review commenced in May 2005 following the general election.	Secretary of State for Justice is due to issue a written ministerial statement on 11 December announcing that the review is complete and that it will be made ready for publication in January 2008.
National Offender Management Service.	Prison Population Taskforce. A small ad hoc team of officials, largely drawn from within NOMS, led at SCS level.	To support the Department and Ministers in managing a very tight prison population in the period prior to the publication of Lord Carter's review of prisons.	Started in August 2007. The taskforce requirement will be reviewed as part of the Department's consideration of its response to Lord Carter's review.	No.
National Offender Management Service.	Review of Childcare Resettlement Licence: (Release on Temporary Licence).	The purpose of the review is to ensure that the new Childcare Resettlement Licence, which enables prisoners who are sole carers to be temporarily released to visit their children, is working as intended.	A review of Prison Service Order 6300 Release on Temporary Licence focusing on Childcare Resettlement Licence was planned to be completed in 2007. The review began in the spring of 2007 but a planned completion date cannot be provided at present.	No.
Office for Criminal Justice Reform.	Failure to Appear warrant withdrawal practice.	To identify FTA warrant withdrawal practice and amend current guidance if required.	Started on 29 November. Aiming to conclude by end of January 2008.	Announced by Secretary of State in written ministerial statement on 29 November.
Independent review commissioned by the Prime Minister and Jack Straw. The staff and funding to support the review are provided by this Department.	Data Sharing Review. Led in independent capacity by Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, and Dr. Mark Walport, the Director of the Wellcome Trust.	The review will consider whether there should be any changes to the way the Data Protection Act 1998 operates in the UK and the options for implementing any such changes. It will include recommendations on the powers and sanctions available to the regulator and courts in the legislation governing data sharing and data protection. It will also make recommendations on how data sharing policy should be developed in a way that ensures proper transparency, scrutiny and accountability.	The review was announced on 25 October and is due to report in the first half of 2008.	No.
Paul Dacre, Editor-in-Chief of Associated Newspapers and member of the Press Complaints Commission—working with Sir Joe Pilling, former Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office, and the eminent historian David Cannadine, secretariat support from TNA.	'30 year rule' review.	To undertake a review of the '30 year rule' that governs the transfer of historical records to the National Archives.	The review was announced by the Prime Minister in his Liberty speech on 25 October—the review is due to report back in the first half of 2008.	Review was announced on 25 October 2007 in the Prime Minister’s Liberty Speech.
National Offender Management Service and Department of Health.	Lord Bradley Review.	To examine the extent to which offenders with mental health problems or learning disabilities could, in appropriate cases: be diverted from prison to other services; the barriers to such diversion; and, to make recommendations to Government, in particular on the organisation of effective court liaison and diversion arrangements and the services needed to support them.	Announced 5 December as part of Carter Review announcement. The review would aim to complete its work by June 2008, having consulted widely, including, in particular, professional bodies and service providers.	Ministerial oral statement made by Justice Secretary on 5 December, repeated by Lord Hunt in the Lords.
Ministry of Justice	Ministry of Justice Third Sector Strategy forthcoming consultation.	To enable the Ministry to finalise its Third Sector Strategy, underpinning how relationships will be taken forward to improve policies and partnerships between the Department and the third sector.	Due to start shortly and last for a minimum of 12 weeks in keeping with the Government code of practice on consultation.	No.

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Domestic Violence

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government have taken to reduce re-offending rates of domestic violence offenders. [173716]

Mr. Coaker [holding answer 13 December 2007]: I have been asked to reply.

The Government's national delivery plan for domestic violence includes an objective relating to the management of perpetrators to reduce the risk of reoffending. The following steps have been taken to achieve this objective.

Specialist domestic violence courts (SDVCs) place victims at the heart of the criminal justice system through a multi-agency response to domestic violence that affords greater victim safety while bringing perpetrators to account for their offences. We are planning to expand the number of specialist courts from 64 to around 100 SDVCs by April 2008.

The development of three accredited treatment programmes for convicted domestic violence perpetrators: the Integrated Domestic Abuse programme (IDAP) and Community Domestic Violence programme (CDVP) have been rolled out across all probation areas in England and Wales. The Healthy Relationships Programme (HRP) is run by HM Prison Service. These programmes are based on evidence of what is most likely to work in reducing re-offending.

The establishment of multi-agency risk assessment conferences which aim to increase the safety of identified high risk victims through a safety planning approach and to determine whether perpetrators pose a significant future risk.

The continuing support of multi-agency public protection arrangements under which police, probation and prison services in each of the 42 areas in England and Wales work together with social care, health, housing and education services to assess and manage the most serious sexual and violent offenders. Some perpetrators of domestic abuse will

be managed under these arrangements.

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