Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Justice – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 17 March 2009.
Jack Straw
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
2:30,
17 March 2009
Although I am in contact with the national Federation of Small Businesses and have great contact with small businesses locally, that representation has not been made to me before. We have increased the number of police officers over the past dozen years, and there has been an even greater increase in the numbers of support staff for the police. We have improved their systems and, as the Liberals are constantly complaining, we have increased the prison population and prison capacity by a third. As a result, the courts can hand out much tougher sentences for people convicted of crimes, including business crime. Once again, the Liberals need to work out what they want. They need to ensure that hon. Members on their front bench stop asking us to cut the prison population when those on their Back Benches are calling for an increase in the prison population—which is what we have provided.
The first bench on either side of the House of Commons, reserved for ministers and leaders of the principal political parties.
Annotations
barbara richards
Posted on 18 Mar 2009 11:46 am (Report this annotation)
Putting innocent domestic violence and rape victims into prison is not going to solve violent crime, it will increase it, because even more families will be destroyed if you keep putting Mother into jail!
You have allowed an American paedophile to influence the secret family courts. You know I am telling the truth. It is downright wicked what you are doing, Jack Straw. You will be called to account for this, by the families your policies have smashed.