Justice Week 8-12 December 2008

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December 19, 2008

Ask you MP to sign EDM 99

As part of Justice Week, Neil Gerrard MP, tabled a an early day motion on staff in teh criminal justice system. The EDM reads:

“This House values the work of the staff who are employed in the Criminal Justice System for their efforts to deliver a good service despite difficult conditions and circumstances; and therefore urges the Government to ensure that staff are paid an appropriate rate for the service they provide, that workloads are eased to containable and realistic levels, and that sufficient resources are allocated to allow staff to carry out their statutory duties efficiently and effectively.”

63 MPs have already signed up to the EDM. This is really good, given the short space of time since the EDM was put down, and it is clearly due to union members contacting their MPs and asking them to sign.

You can help. Check if you MP has signed by clicking the link below. If they haven't write to them to ask them to do so. You can find and email your MP direct here - then simply type in your postcode and click 'go'. You will also find a model letter to cut and paste.

Check if your MP has signed EDM 99

Posted by kfalcon at 11:50 AM

December 11, 2008

Minister questioned on Justice Week in the House

It was Ministry of Justice Question Time in the House on 9th December and MPs made specific interventions to raise the fact that it is Justice Week.

John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab): What plans the Secretary of State for Justice has for future levels of funding for front-line services in the criminal justice system?

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Maria Eagle): The comprehensive spending review 2007 settlement agreed for the Ministry of Justice requires us to live within the funding available. Budgets for 2009-10 will be agreed shortly, and we will then be in a position to inform Parliament more fully of the impact of this work on the Ministry of Justice. We are prioritising and protecting front-line services, but we are looking at how we can improve performance and efficiency across the Department. We are, of course, involving our Department’s trade unions in ongoing discussions in this regard.

John McDonnell: My hon. Friend will be aware that this week has been designated justice week by the justice trade unions, and they will be lobbying the House tomorrow on their concerns about future budgets. Has she seen the report launched yesterday by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, which demonstrates that although the Government have increased resources within the individual budgets of prisons, the probation service and the courts, that has not matched the work loads? Would she therefore be willing to meet a delegation from the justice trade union group to discuss the report and its implications for future budget planning?

Maria Eagle: On my hon. Friend’s last point, I would of course be more than happy to meet him and any delegation that he wishes to bring in respect of the particular point that he makes. I have not yet had a chance to see that report, but I would be very happy to read it.

The Justice Unions Parliamentary Group also organised for the issue prison over-crowding to be raised in the House of Lords on Wednesday 10th, during Starred Questions, with planned interventions from Baroness Howe, Baroness Stern, Baroness Linklater and Lords Ramsbotham.

Posted by kfalcon at 04:19 PM

Justice Week Rally - Huge Success

A long list of parliamentarians, trade unionists, and justice campaigners lined up to address packed meetings in Committee Rooms 10 and 14 of the House of Commons on Wednesday 10th Dacember.

(More pictures below)

The Lobby and Rally was organised as part of Justice Week and lobbyists, from across the whole of the criminal justice system, heard from, among others:

- Kay Carberry, from the TUC
- Union General Secretaries Jonathan Ledger (Napo), Mark Serwotka (PCS), Matt Wrack (FBU), Christine Blower (NUT)
- National Chair of the POA, Colin Moses, Vice-Chairman of the Police Federation, Simon Reed and National Officer for Unison, Ben Priestley.
- Frances Crook, Howard League
- Deb Coles, INQUEST
- Martin Wargent, Criminal Justice Alliance

Parlimentarians included: Lords Ramsbotham, Judd and Dholakis and Baronesses Gibson, Stern and Turner.

MPs speaking were: David Drew (Lab), Dave Anderson (Lab), Nick Herbert (Cons), John McDonnell(Lab), Edward Garnier (Cons), David Howarth (Lib Dem, Chris Huhne (Lib Dem), Kelvin Hopkins (Lab), Katy Clark (Lab) and Cheryl Gillan (Cons)

Tony Benn finished the marathon session of speeches, to loud applause, with an uplifting message to everyone to keep on lobbying their MPs and to keep up the fight.

A large number of those attending the rally also managed to see their MPs on the Wednesday. Other members, across the country, will be visiting their local MP, in their constituency, this weekend.

EDM 99

MPs are also being asked to sign and Early Day Motion (EDM 99) calling for a properly resourced criminal justice system, which was tabled as part of justice week.

Check if your MP has signed EDM 99

If they haven't ask them to do so. You can find your MP here Just type in your postcode and click go.

Posted by kfalcon at 11:00 AM

Northurmbria launches Charter for Justice

As part of Justice Week, local representatives from criminal justice unions met in Newcastle on Tuesday 9th December to sign a Charter for Justice. The event went very well with all the unions represented.

The Northumbria Branch, who were instrumental in organising the initiative, hope to get media coverage for the event in the local press this week,and there are also plans to get the Charter adopted nationally.

Copies of the Charter and pictures of the signing will be posted on the website as soon as they are available.

Posted by kfalcon at 10:51 AM

December 09, 2008

Unions welcome criminal justice resources report

The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies report, Criminal justice resourcing staffing and workloads, commissioned by the Justice Unions was published today, 8th December.

The study concludes that the criminal justice system faces major pressures in the coming years “with contradictory government policy placing staff under enormous strain”.

The report continues: “The key criminal justice agencies face a grim future of staffing cuts, wage freezes and increased work for those that remain”.

The study confirms that the justice system has benefitted from above inflation budget growth since 1991, but points out that once staff levels and increases in workloads are taken into account, as well as structural upheaval, these real term budget increases are far less generous than they appear.

The report also states that: “Government policy on prisons is mired in contradiction and it is difficult to see how such an approach can be sustained in the long term.”

Download a copy of the CCJS report

Posted by kfalcon at 04:59 PM

December 05, 2008

Southampton Justice Week Rally 11th December

Download a copy to print

Posted by kfalcon at 11:25 AM