Lords motion to take note of the first report of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on Better prisons: less crime (HL 153). Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the first report of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on Better prisons: less crime (HL 153). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, as the chair of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, it is a pleasure to lead this debate. I look forward to the five maiden speeches from new Members; I welcome them all. I am delighted that they have chosen the committee’s report on prisons, Better Prisons: Less...

My Lords, as the chair of the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, it is a pleasure to lead this debate. I look forward to the five maiden speeches from new Members; I welcome them all. I am delighted that they have chosen the committee’s report on prisons, Better Prisons: Less...

My Lords, I feel deeply honoured to be making my maiden speech today. I thank noble Lords on all sides of the House, as well as Black Rod and his team, the doorkeepers, police officers and all the other amazing staff for their warm welcome—not least in being so patient...

My Lords, I feel deeply honoured to be making my maiden speech today. I thank noble Lords on all sides of the House, as well as Black Rod and his team, the doorkeepers, police officers and all the other amazing staff for their warm welcome—not least in being so patient...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the excellent maiden speech of my noble friend Lady Bi. We are being joined in this House by a gifted lawyer from the private sector with a strong sense of public service—someone who is knowledgeable and passionate about many of the difficult...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the excellent maiden speech of my noble friend Lady Bi. We are being joined in this House by a gifted lawyer from the private sector with a strong sense of public service—someone who is knowledgeable and passionate about many of the difficult...

My Lords, I am very conscious of the enormous privilege to be able to speak from these Benches in this magnificent room, in a Palace which represents the history and traditions of our great nation. I am suitably humbled, and I am very grateful to all the staff who have...

My Lords, I am very conscious of the enormous privilege to be able to speak from these Benches in this magnificent room, in a Palace which represents the history and traditions of our great nation. I am suitably humbled, and I am very grateful to all the staff who have...

My Lords, it gives me great pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Redwood. I welcome him to your Lordships’ House and congratulate him on his excellent and, may I say, pithy maiden speech. My noble friend brings a wealth of in-depth and current political and business experience, coupled with...

My Lords, it gives me great pleasure to follow my noble friend Lord Redwood. I welcome him to your Lordships’ House and congratulate him on his excellent and, may I say, pithy maiden speech. My noble friend brings a wealth of in-depth and current political and business experience, coupled with...

They need to root out obfuscation and denial, fear of making decisions and preferment to work from home, and understand just how vital it is to make the Home Office and Ministry of Justice fit for purpose, so that better prisons really will lead to less crime.

12.41 pm

They need to root out obfuscation and denial, fear of making decisions and preferment to work from home, and understand just how vital it is to make the Home Office and Ministry of Justice fit for purpose, so that better prisons really will lead to less crime.

12.41 pm

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Foster, for introducing this debate so admirably and highly commend his chairmanship of the Justice and Home Affairs Select Committee, of which I was a member until the end of January. The noble Lord steered the Select Committee with deep commitment and...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Foster, for introducing this debate so admirably and highly commend his chairmanship of the Justice and Home Affairs Select Committee, of which I was a member until the end of January. The noble Lord steered the Select Committee with deep commitment and...

I know that I am running over time, but it is an advisory time limit and I will finish in two minutes.

I know that I am running over time, but it is an advisory time limit and I will finish in two minutes.

I have another couple of minutes—this is advisory.

The Government have a duty to ensure that public discourse about crime and punishment is based on an understanding of the role of prisons and an appreciation that those in custody will eventually have to be integrated into the community. We cannot defend...

I have another couple of minutes—this is advisory.

The Government have a duty to ensure that public discourse about crime and punishment is based on an understanding of the role of prisons and an appreciation that those in custody will eventually have to be integrated into the community. We cannot defend...