Author: Pulse Assent

I believe public bodies should be open to scrutiny and accountable for their decisions.

So, I would welcome a decision by the Lord Chancellor to judicially review the Parole Board in the Worboys case and we will not stand in the way of such a review taking place. I hope such a review will provide assurance that the Parole Board itself has acted in accordance with the law and the evidence.

Public concern about the Worboys case is completely understandable and it is right that the anguish of his victims should be heard.

The Parole Board considers nearly 25,000 cases a year. Almost every one of those cases involves horrible offences with victims’ lives changed forever. There will be victims of offences that did not go to trial or result in a conviction and there will be others indirectly but painfully affected such as family members, witnesses and those who have to deal with the crime. The ripples from serious offences spread very wide.

That is the reality of the Parole Board’s work.

For prisoners like Worboys, once they have served the ‘tariff’ or the punishment part of their sentence set by a judge, they will be referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State and the Board must then determine if they are safe to release. The test that Parole Board’s 250 members must apply in deciding whether to release a prisoner is that ‘it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that they should be detained’; in other words, the burden is on the prisoner to demonstrate they are safe to release, not the panel to demonstrate they are too dangerous to do so.

The law governing the Parole Board’s decisions is quite clear. We have to make decisions about future risk. We cannot re-assess the prisoner’s guilt or innocence or whether the original sentence was appropriate even if we would like to do so. The decision about future risk will be informed both by evidence of how the prisoner has changed and the robustness of plans to manage him or her in the community.

I do not make decisions on individual cases, but I have observed many hearing and am struck by the careful and sensitive way panels make their decisions. Do they always get it right? No. Less than one per cent of those we release commits a serious further offence and each is a terrible incident. But I would not be honest if I pretended risk could be eliminated completely. Parole Board members need to be confident a prisoner will not reoffend – but they cannot be certain. If certainty is required that needs to be reflected in the length of the original sentence.

The Parole Board Rules prohibit the Parole Board from disclosing details of individual cases. I do not think this is right. Justice needs to be seen to be done. If the parole system is closed and secretive we cannot complain if people do not understand it.

I welcome the government’s review of this area and hope it will be radical.

I don’t say this will be easy. Some victims tell us they want to put the offence behind them and fear that opening the system up would put them through the media mill again and expose them to prurient public interest.. So, while looking at all the options we should proceed carefully and make sure we do not do more harm than good.

Although we are prohibited from revealing details of the Worboys case I will say something about the processes followed.

First, I share the concerns that victims say they were not kept informed or consulted about licence conditions.

The law says victims do not have a say in whether a prisoner is released on parole or not – that happens at the original trial when the tariff is set – but they should have an opportunity to ensure the panel understands the impact the offence had on them and have a say in the licence conditions that apply after release. They can make a written statement, attend the start of a hearing to read their statement in person or say nothing at all.

Other than receiving and carefully considering their statements, the Parole Board has no role in contacting or liaising with victims. That is undertaken by the Victim Contact Service, part of the National Probation Service, on behalf of the Secretary of State. The Parole Board sought and received assurance on a number of occasions that victims who wanted to make a victim statement had the opportunity to do so and were informed about the outcome of the hearing.

There are very serious allegations that some victims who should have been kept informed were not and victims and the public deserve to know exactly what happened. There should be an independent investigation by someone outside the Parole Board and Ministry of Justice into this specific issue and I call on the Secretary of State to initiate this.

As for Worboys’ hearing itself, it was a three-member panel chaired by one of our most experienced women members. One of the other members was a parole board psychologist. The panel considered a dossier of 363 pages and heard evidence from four other psychologists, and prison and probations staff responsible for Worboys. The Secretary of State was represented at our request. Warboys himself was questioned in detail. The panel considered a written statement from one victim.

It is particularly concerning that other victims now state they did not have an opportunity to give their views. I know that some victims are frightened. The licence conditions are very detailed but can be varied. The probation service must now ensure that even at this stage victims have an opportunity to have any concerns about licence conditions considered and should apply to the Parole Board for licence variations where this is appropriate.

Finally, let me say this. The Parole Board is in effect a court. We should be open to legal challenge but I hope when people think about it, they will agree it is right we resist political interference in our decisions. Like any court, the Parole Board members must make independent decisions in accordance with the law and on the basis of evidence. It would be a bad day for us all if people’s rightful abhorrence of Worboys’ crimes or even justified concern about a Parole Board decision allowed these basic principles of justice to be overturned.

Top business and regional leaders are backing the UK Government’s first Severn Growth Summit which will explore how links between the South Wales and South West England economies can be strengthened following the recent reduction and the abolition of the Severn Tolls later this year.

With less than a one week to go until the curtain rises on the sell-out event, Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns has today confirmed the line-up of prominent speakers that will take to the stage to address a 350-strong crowd alongside him at the Celtic Manor Resort event (22 January 2018).

Speakers have today been confirmed as:

• Dylan Jones-Evans, Assistant Pro Vice Chancellor with responsibility for enterprise at the University of South Wales
• Tim Bowles – Metro Mayor of the West of England
• Katherine Bennett – Senior Vice President of Airbus UK
• Katharine Finn – Regional Leader for PWC in the West and Wales
• Professor Colin Riordan – Vice Chancellor Cardiff University member of the GW4 alliance
• Cllr Andrew Morgan – Cardiff Capital Region
• Grant Mansfield – Chief Executive, Plimsoll Productions

The Summit will bring together leading experts from local government, education, private and academic sectors from both sides of the Severn, to share their experiences of cross-border collaboration and discuss the vision for further growth opportunities in the future.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

I’m delighted to be joined at this first Severn Growth Summit by such an esteemed roll call of speakers. They each represent businesses, authorities or industries that that have been at the forefront of cross border collaboration.

This event will provide the perfect opportunity for them to relay their experiences to a sell-out audience, all seeking to widen their horizons across the Severn estuary and beyond.

Taking his place in the six-strong panel of experts will be Tim Bowles, the first West of England Mayor. During his career, he has combined international business roles with public service in the region and will use the summit’s platform to share his knowledge to support businesses on both sides of the border to achieve their growth potential.

Tim Bowles, Metro Mayor of the West of England said:

I welcome the opportunity to take part in this event. The West of England and South Wales have strong connections and many shared goals – it’s important that we continue to work together for the benefit of all our residents.

Mr Bowles will be joined on the panel by Katherine Bennet, Senior Vice President of Airbus UK, a global company with significant presence in Bristol and Newport and considerable experience of cross-border working across the Severn estuary.

Katherine Bennett, Senior Vice President of Airbus UK said:

Having a strong regional ecosystem of suppliers, partners and academic collaborators is key to Airbus’ success. We must ensure that the regional strengths that exist in South Wales and the West of England, particularly around aerospace, defence and digital technologies are enhanced through collaboration and a clear strategy for regional growth.

Airbus welcomes the opportunity to help shape closer working relationships through this inaugural growth summit.

The Summit will include keynote speeches, panel sessions, living case studies, networking sessions and help generate a lasting economic legacy for Wales and beyond.

Highways England is launching a second consultation today, Tuesday January 16, on plans to upgrade the A358 between the M5 at Taunton and Southfields Roundabout on the A303 in Somerset.

The Government, as part of its £15 billion Road Investment Strategy, is committed to upgrading all remaining sections of the strategic A303/A358 corridor between the M3 and M5 to dual carriageway standard.

The plan for the A358 upgrade is to create a complete section of high quality dual carriageway, reducing congestion and leading to quicker journeys for motorists. The other two projects on this corridor in the Government’s first road investment period are the A303 Stonehenge scheme and the A303 Sparkford to Ilchester dualling scheme.

Responding to feedback from initial consultation last year, Highways England is now holding a new consultation until 27 February.

Highways England, project manager, David Stock said,

The A303/A358 is such a vital route that we need to be absolutely sure we find the best option for upgrading the section between the A303 and M5 at Taunton.

We had a huge response to the previous consultation and after reviewing all the feedback closely we understand how important it is to give people the chance to have their say on more options before taking the scheme to the next stage.

We urge everyone who is interested in the route to tell us what they think of the new proposals so we can be sure we deliver a scheme that will help to deliver growth and prosperity for the whole region.

Three options are being presented for the section between the M5 at Taunton and West Hatch, and more detail for the proposed dualling of the existing A358 between West Hatch and Southfields Roundabout on the A303.
The A358 is currently a mix of single and dual carriageway, carrying more vehicles than it was designed for.

This leads to delays, and the plan is to improve the route to a dual carriageway as well as improve connectivity and access for local communities and vulnerable road users such as cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians.

For further information on the consultation and public events taking place, go to the consultation page.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

• Business Secretary Greg Clark confirms he has asked Insolvency Service to fast-track investigation into Carillion’s directors and broaden scope to include those directors previously employed
• Business Secretary hosts meeting with leading business and construction trade bodies, representing Carillion’s sub-contractors

The Business Secretary Greg Clark has today (16 January 2018) outlined the steps the business department has taken following the liquidation of Carillion.

Following the appointment of the Official Receiver as liquidator, the Business Secretary has written to the Insolvency Service and the Official Receiver asking that the statutory investigation into the conduct of Carillion’s directors is fast-tracked and extended in scope.

This means the Official Receiver’s investigation will consider whether those who are, or were previously directors of the company may have caused detriment to those owed money, including workers and businesses affected.

Alongside this, the Business Secretary has also written to the chairman of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), Sir Win Bischoff, and asked it to conduct an investigation into the preparation of Carillion’s accounts past and present, as well as the company’s auditors.

Greg Clark said:

It is important we quickly get the full picture of the events which caused Carillion to enter liquidation, which is why I have asked the Insolvency Service to fast-track and broaden the scope of the Official Receiver’s investigation.

In particular, I have asked that the investigation looks not only at the conduct of the directors at the point of its insolvency, but also of any individuals who were previously directors. Any evidence of misconduct will be taken very seriously.

The Business Secretary also chaired a meeting yesterday (15 January) with leading business and construction trade bodies, representing Carillion’s sub-contractors including representatives from the construction sector:

• Build UK
• Civil Engineering Contractors Association
• British Constructional Steelwork Association
• Building Engineering Services Association
• Federation of Master Builders
• Construction Products Association
• Electrical Contractors’ Association
• Specialist Engineering Contractors Group

Also invited were representatives of leading business bodies with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Institute of Directors (IOD).

Later today, the Business Secretary will meet the General Secretaries of the TUC and Unite, Frances O’Grady and Len McCluskey, to discuss the impact on employees affected by Carillion’s insolvency.

The department has also outlined the resources open to those workers and businesses affected by Carillion’s liquidation who are seeking further information, including:

• a web page set up by the Insolvency Service for those affected and seeking advice
• a dedicated website set up by the Special Managers, PWC, as well as a dedicated helpline – 0800 063 9282
• a hotline set up for any employee worried about their pension situation on these specific pension schemes – 020 7630 2715
• for more general advice on business support, the BEIS Business Support Hotline can also provide information – 0300 456 3565
• Jobcentre Plus, through its Rapid Response Service, also stands ready to support any employee affected by this announcement

Alongside this, the department’s network of 38 Local Growth Hubs, run in conjunction with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is also on hand to help businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to access support.

Letters

• 
  Carillion liquidation: letter to the Insolvency Service
  (PDF, 49.6KB, 1 page)
  
• 
  Carillion liquidation: letter to the Financial Reporting Council
  (PDF, 46.8KB, 1 page)