Firms accused of overcharging millions for tagging
Security firms G4S and Serco have been accused of overcharging the government tens of millions of pounds for electronic tagging services.
Probation chiefs criticise offender supervision plans
Senior probation officers have criticised Government's plans to involve private and charity groups in the supervision of offenders.
More protection to householders against burglars
Frightened homeowners who react when confronted by burglars will get more protection under new plans, the Justice Secretary will announce.
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Stripping red tape for do-gooders 'common sense'
Removing red tape to protect good samaritans and responsible employers is "common sense", according to the Justice Secretary.
Plans to change the law so judges will have to give weight to factors when deciding negligence cases, including whether someone was acting responsibly, will give good samaritans the legal protection they deserve, Chris Grayling said.
– Chris GraylingI don't want us to be a society where people feel that they can't do the right thing for fear of breaking regulations or becoming liable if something goes wrong.
I don't want us to be a society where a responsible employer gets the blame for someone doing something stupid.
I want a society where common sense is the order of the day, and I believe this measure will help us get there.
Protection for 'responsible employers and do-gooders'
Greater legal protection for responsible employers and do-gooders will be offered, if Government plans to strip red tape from "Britain's health and safety culture" go ahead.
Read: Man finds stranger who saved him from suicide
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling wants to provide greater protection to those who end up involved in liability claims.
Measures are aimed at removing bureaucracy which sometimes deters would-be volunteers or helping a stranger, as they were worried about the threat of being sued for negligence.
Of the many people who do volunteer, research suggests that nearly half of them, 47%, are concerned about the risk of liability, he said.
Read: Good Samaritan survives being pushed onto railway track
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Richard III court battle was 'waste of time and money'
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has blasted Plantagenet Alliance, the group who fought to have Richard III buried in York, for wasting taxpayers money.
He said he was pleased with the High Court's decision to rebury the King's remains in Leicester, where they were found.
He added: "I am frustrated and angry that the Plantagenet Alliance - a group with tenuous claims to being relatives of Richard III - have taken up so much time and public money."
Banned drivers 'face serious consequences'
Banned drivers who continue to get behind the wheel and end up injuring someone "face serious consequences", the Justice Secretary has said.
Chris Grayling announced plans for tougher sentencing for disqualified drivers who kill behind the wheel and said:
– Chris GraylingI want to make our roads safer and ensure people who cause harm face tough penalties.
Disqualified drivers should not be on our roads for good reason. Those who chose to defy a ban imposed by a court and go on to destroy innocent lives must face serious consequences for the terrible impact of their actions.
Today, we are sending a clear message that anyone who does will face much tougher punishment.
Tougher sentences for disqualified drivers who kill
Longer jail sentences will be handed down to disqualified drivers who get behind the wheel while banned and kill someone, the Government has announced.
Read: Elderly man arrested over 'wrong way driving' claims
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling wants offenders who defy bans to face up to 10 years behind bars if they cause death and four years for serious injuries, under reforms introduced next year.
Mr Grayling defended the plans by saying they would send a clear message to drivers who flout bans and "go on to destroy innocent lives".
The current maximum sentence faced by a driver who causes death while driving when disqualified is two years in jail and there is no specific offence of causing serious injury while banned
Read: Donations for cyclist killed during charity ride pour in
Govt plans £85m 'secure college' for young offenders
An £85 million "secure college" is to be built as part of Government plans to improve education for those under the age of 18 who are convicted of a crime.
Read more: Feltham 'unacceptably violent'
Up to 320 young offenders aged between 12 and 17-years-old will be housed in the Leicestershire building, which is expected to open in 2017.
The facility will be run by a head teacher or principal rather than a prison governor, backed up by a team of education professionals who will care for inmates housed on the site in living blocks.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Nearly three-quarters of young offenders who leave custody re-offend within a year; clearly the system as it is at the moment isn't working.
"It's right that the most serious or persistent young offenders face custody but we must use this time to tackle the root cause of their offending and give them the skills and self-discipline they need to gain employment or training upon release."
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Grayling backs criticism of starved boy review
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has told ITV News it is 'right and proper' for the Government to ensure tragic deaths like that of Hamzah Khan never happen again.
Earlier, children's minister Edward Timpson said a serious case review failed to address key questions.
He expressed his 'deep concerns' over the review's findings that the four year old's death could not have been predicted.
Mr Grayling supported his colleague's stand and said it was important no stone was left unturned in finding out what happened.
Report: Government ditches legal aid bidding proposal
The Government will scrap plans to award legal aid contracts to the lowest bidders following criticisms it would reduce justice to a "factory mentality", the Times (£) reports.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling reportedly ditched the proposals after drawing up the Government's latest legal aid reforms with the support of the Law Society.
Instead, law firms seeking a legal aid contract will be subject to certain criteria and sustainability but price will not be a factor, the newspaper said.
Barrister-turned-MP Karl Turner had earlier raised fears that price-competitive tendering for legal aid would lead to large companies like G4S and Serco dominating the market at the expense of smaller firms with greater expertise.
Read: Legal aid reform 'must be rejected,' says former judge
Justice Secretary: What about the rights of victims?
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has said he profoundly disagrees with a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that 'whole life' sentences are "inhuman".
– Chris Grayling, Justice SecretaryI have repeatedly made clear how profoundly I disagree with the recent ruling by the European Court.
Our judges should be able to tell those who commit the most heinous crimes imaginable that they may never be released.
To be told this breaches human rights is absurd — and an insult to those who wrote the original Human Rights Convention. What about the rights of the victims and their families?
I continue to strongly believe that whole life tariffs are appropriate for the worst murder cases. This is why I want wholesale reforms to our human rights laws.
Read: Murderer launches first 'whole life' appeal against sentence
G4S drops tagging contract bid after overcharging error
Private security firm G4S has pulled out of bidding for new contracts for tagging criminals following an overcharging scandal.
G4S had initially refused to withdraw from the process despite revelations that the firm, along with its rival Serco, had been overcharging the Government by millions of pounds for the electronic tagging of criminals.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said he was pleased that the company had decided to withdraw from the bidding process but revealed the company would still face a review into its deals with the Government:
"I am glad they have decided to withdraw now. We can now get on with awarding that contract, which will improve the monitoring of offenders and deliver savings for the taxpayer. Our concerns regarding the billing for the electronic monitoring contract still need to be addressed."
Read: Security firms accused of overcharging millions for tagging criminals