All of Mrs Naomi Long’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
We are being as thorough as possible to ensure that no one is missed. However, despite extensive searches, we do not yet have enough information for some individuals, and it is important that they get in touch with us to see whether they are within the scope of the Act. As for when they should expect compensation, the…
On 19 September 2024, my Department issued letters to 12 individuals to advise them that their convictions had been quashed by the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024. We believe that, in total, about 116 convictions have been quashed to date. That will enable those individuals to receive their financial…
There has not been at this stage. In its regular reviews of prisons, adjudications are one of the things that the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland will look at in terms of the work that goes on in our prisons. We had a situation in 2005, when our prisons were considered to be fairly volatile and unsafe…
We operate a progressive regime in the prison system in Northern Ireland, so there are rewards and penalties, depending on people's behaviour. The adjudication process happens with the governors, and there is an appeal mechanism against that. Perhaps the best thing for me to do is furnish the Member with a copy of…
We have been driving up the number of people who participate in the education system, particularly with, as I said, the more general kinds of education. We can often extend that for short-term sentencing and those on remand, but it is much more difficult, when we talk about offender-related programmes, where people…
At the moment, the prison population sits at in excess of 1,800 prisoners. We have full capacity in Magilligan, at around 500 prisoners. We still have some capacity in Maghaberry and Hydebank. Over recent years, growing numbers of women have been committed to prison, and we are seeing a general upward trend. The…
No. I do not agree that there has been a lack of systemic reform by my Department, quite the contrary. In the previous mandate, we led the way on the domestic abuse offence, legislating on domestic abuse and putting forward the need for training for police officers in that legislation. That training is ongoing. That…
I am grateful to the commissioner designate for engaging with victims of crime and seeking feedback on their experience of the criminal justice system. It is essential that victims feel confident that, when they report a crime, they will have their case investigated and prosecuted, where there is evidence to support a…
I do. It goes way beyond antisocial and veers into the space of hate crime, given the intimidation effect that it has on GAA users of the pitch. It is not acceptable and is incredibly disruptive to not only those who play GAA but those who use the pitches for other purposes and other sports. It is also incredibly…
Significant work around fireworks is ongoing, and it takes place particularly at this time of year. We work with the PSNI and others on that. A strong regulatory framework on fireworks is already in place. In cases of the sale or purchase of fireworks where people fail to comply with that framework, penalties are…
Given the complexity of ASB, it cannot be addressed by the criminal justice system alone. Effective partnership working across local government and central government is required to identify the causes and put in place solutions to prevent incidents arising and tackle the cumulative impact of ASB on individuals and…
It is important that everyone who serves in the PSNI, whether as officers, part-time Reserve or members of staff, are properly remunerated for the work that they do and the risks that they take on our behalf. Ultimately, the Chief Constable, every arm's-length body and I as Minister all have to live within our budget.…
The budget allocation attributed to the PSNI part-time Reserve is an operational matter for the Chief Constable, who continues to be accountable to the Policing Board. It is important that I respect the operational independence of the Chief Constable and of the Policing Board.
I cannot anticipate what it will come forward with. Therefore, I cannot anticipate which Department would take it forward. Many of the structures that surround the tripartite arrangements for policing and justice are not devolved. They are part of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and would need to be dealt with at…
There are a number of things. First of all, when I came back in February, I reflected on the fact that the Policing Board had intended to take forward a review itself. I decided, on balance, that, to ensure that that was as independent as possible and could command as much public confidence as possible, it would be…
I am aware of the Member's concerns around the time frame, but I think that it is appropriate, given the scope of the review and the urgency of the report. If the independent reviewers consider that they need additional time, I will, of course, be open to considering that. I am also aware that it is important to get…
I will consider the findings and recommendations of the review in due course and publish the findings, as appropriate, following consultation with key stakeholders, including the Justice Committee.
The Department's strategy covers the core Department and its agencies. Central to the delivery of the Department's strategy are the respective strategies of NICTS, the Northern Ireland Prison Service and the PSNI. They have their own goals and targets, and they are reported on separately. The Department's agenda is…
My Department is committed to delivering its responsibilities under the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 and in supporting DAERA in the development of the first Northern Ireland climate action plan. While the Department of Justice is not a sectoral lead under the Act, we aim to contribute to the sectors of…
The Audit Office review has only been announced, so no update can be given on that. With respect to the performance and whether it is effective, the chief commissioner specifically addressed performance matters in the Planning Appeals Commission and Water Appeals Commission (PACWAC) annual review for 2022-23. From the…
The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) has provided £500,000 of additional resourcing to the Planning Appeals Commission each year since 2021. NICTS officials continue to meet the PAC chief commissioner to consider any resourcing pressures, including vacant posts. At present, there is only one…
It is very important that we do that. We are committed to ensuring that, when people leave prisons, they are rehabilitated in the truest sense in that their attitudes and their offending behaviour have been successfully challenged and changed, but we also need to ensure that they have skills to be able to seek…
We do have specific programmes to work with people who have offended, and those programmes are tailored to their offending behaviour. The Probation Board provides some of those schemes, and there are ones for perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse. One of the challenges that we face in the prison system at the…
As I said, there is a wide range of curriculum offer from essential skills such as numeracy and literacy to vocational skills ranging from barbering to bricklaying and employability skills, including soft skills such as writing CVs and interviewing techniques. We are also trying constantly to enhance the learning…
Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will answer questions 6 and 10 together. The Northern Ireland Prison Service prioritises rehabilitation by supporting and challenging those in its care to change and address their offending behaviour. That includes providing opportunities through a wide and progressive curriculum…