The new Justice Ministerial line-up

Lord Chancellor & Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood

Ms Mahmood was born and introduced up in Birmingham and research legislation at Lincoln School, College of Oxford, (Rishi Sunak was within the yr forward of her). She went on to finish the Bar Vocational Course on the Inns of Court docket Faculty of Regulation in 2003 after receiving a scholarship. As a barrister, her specialism is in skilled indemnity. She has been the MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010, changing into one of many UK’s first feminine Muslim MPs. Mahmood has spoken about how her religion is an important factor in her life, and mentioned that it’s the motivation for her to undertake public service. She has a long-standing curiosity within the justice system, having been Shadow Minister for Prisons underneath Ed Milliband’s management.

As Justice Secretary, Ms Mahmood is finally accountable for the work of the MoJ, her formal obligations embody:

Oversight of all portfolios and Ministry of Justice strategyOversight of departmental COVID-19 response supported by different ministers based on portfolioOversight of worldwide enterprise and future relations with the EUMoJ assist for the UnionResourcing of the departmentFunctions of the Lord ChancellorJudicial coverage together with pay, pensions and variety (these and different operational selections affecting the judiciary are reserved to the Lord Chancellor)Company providers

Minister of State James Timpson

A way more shocking appointment was that of James Timpson because the Prisons Minister. Mr Timpson shouldn’t be a politician however the chief government of Timpsons, greatest recognized to most of us because the native place to get your keys reduce or sneakers repaired. It’s a household enterprise (based in 1865 in Manchester) and the corporate additionally owns a lot of different manufacturers together with Max Spielmann, Johnsons The Cleaners, Snappy Snaps, Jeeves of Belgravia, The Watch Lab and Flock Inns. The Alex Timpson Belief affords free vacation houses for foster households as a result of James’s mother and father, John and Alex, who died in 2016, fostered 90 youngsters over 31 years at their residence in Manchester.

The 52-year-old chief government has a repute for doing enterprise another way. It has an “the wrong way up” administration model the place the 5,600 workers are in cost and is thought for its perception in social justice, they routinely provide to dry-clean job interview outfits free of charge for purchasers who’re unemployed. The corporate additionally does small jobs free of charge, corresponding to including a brand new belt gap for purchasers, asking them to make a donation as an alternative of paying, which has raised greater than £4m for charities to date, based on a current Guardian profile. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, the corporate briefly closed its 2150 shops, however, in contrast to many others, continued to pay its workers in full.

Rather more relevantly although is the truth that James Timpson has been a campaigner for penal reform for a few years. He’s well-known within the justice subject for advocating the employment of former prisoners and has at all times been perceived as an efficient advocate as a result of his firm practised what he preached. Mr Timpson (@JamesTCobbler on the Twitter/X social media platform) was the Chair of the Employers Discussion board for Lowering Re-offending (EFFRR) till 2016, and have become Chair of the Jail Reform Belief that very same yr, a task he held till his new appointment. He additionally based the Employment Advisory Board community throughout the jail property, which hyperlinks prisons with employers to enhance the employment alternatives for ex-offenders upon launch.

Mr Timpson has no political affiliations and has beforehand labored with Conservative ministers on penal reform – certainly Danger Sunak even visited a Timpson’s through the election marketing campaign.

To be able to take up his ministerial position, Mr Timpson was made a Life Peer and his appointment is harking back to Gordon Brown’s premiership when a lot of non-politicians got ministerial roles in what was described as “authorities by consultants”.

Lord Timpson’s obligations are:

Jail capability and associated policyPrison operations, coverage, reform, and industrial relationsHis Majesty’s Jail and Probation Service administrationProbation demandProbation coverage and operations, industrial relations, and transparencyPrisoner Escort ContractsReducing ReoffendingRelease on Short-term Licence (ROTL) schemesElectronic Monitoring (EM)Overseas Nationwide OffendersHome Detention Curfew (HDC)Offender CohortsFemale OffendersOffender well being and drugsParole primarily based sufferer engagement.Parole policyCounter TerrorismSustainabilityCross-cutting Digital, Information and transformation

Minister of State Heidi Alexander

Heidi Alexander was born in Swindon, and studied at Gray School, Durham, the place she obtained a BA in geography and an MA in European City and Regional Change. She labored as a Parliamentary researcher for Lewisham MP Joan Ruddock from 1999 to 2005, and as campaigns supervisor for the charity Garments Assist from 2005 to 2006. She grew to become MP for Lewisham East in 2018 earlier than resigning her seat to turn out to be Deputy Mayor of London for Transport. She grew to become MP for Swindon in final week’s election.

Ms Alexander is accountable for:

Legal Courts and Legal Court docket recoveryCourt Reform (together with synthetic intelligence, modernisation, and digital reform)His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service administrationLegal AidLegal Assist Company administrationLegal ServicesCriminal Circumstances Assessment Fee administrationCivil JusticeModern Justice System: Authorized Assist; Dispute ResolutionTribunals Coverage (incl. charges)Irregular MigrationProbateMiscarriages of JusticeStrategic Lawsuits Towards Public ParticipationOffice for the Public Guardian administrationMental CapacitySecondary LegislationPress/ CommunicationsMoJ Mission lead for Kickstart financial development

Underneath-Secretary of State Alex Davies-Jones

Alexandra Davies was born in Church Village in 1989,  she is the daughter of a miner, stating that she was “introduced up on the values of socialism”. She graduated from Cardiff College with a joint honours diploma in legislation and politics. She has been the MP for Pontypridd since 2019 and has served as Shadow Minister for Home Violence and Safeguarding.

Ms Davies-Jones holds the portfolios for:

Violence Towards Ladies and Ladies (VAWG)Legal Regulation (incl. Youngster Sexual Abuse)Legal Accidents Compensation AuthorityRape and Critical Sexual OffencesVictims and Witnesses inc. Victims’ CommissionerHillsboroughCoroners and Dying ManagementCommons Household MinisterCross-cutting company portfolio (incl. Ministerial Incapacity Champion Conferences, Variety & Inclusion, Covid-19 Inquiry, Public Appointments, Senior Civil Service HR)MoJ Mission lead for Take again our streets

Underneath-Secretary of State, Lord Ponsoby of Shulbrede

Frederick Ponsonby succeeded his father as Baron Ponsonby of Shulbrede and a hereditary peer upon his dying in 1990. A member of the Labour Get together, he misplaced his seat within the Home of Lords after the passage of the Home of Lords Act 1999. Nonetheless, he returned to the chamber as a life peer in 2000, as Baron Ponsonby of Roehampton, of Shulbrede within the County of West Sussex. Ponsonby served as an opposition spokesperson for Justice from April 2020 and Residence Affairs from Might 2021.

Lord Ponsonby’s portfolio covers:

Household Justice and Marriage and DivorceAll Lords Enterprise (besides PPP)Personal Worldwide LawInternational Legal JusticeConstitutionCrown DependenciesDevolution and the UnionEU Retained Regulation coverage.Human RightsInternationalJudicial ReviewOverseas Territories

Underneath-Secretary of State, Sir Nic Dakin

Nic Dakin grew up in Leicestershire and labored as a instructor (together with as a head) for a few years earlier than being the MP for Scunthorpe from 2010-2019. He misplaced his seat in 2019 however was returned to Westminster within the final election. Along with his work on the MoJ, he’s Junior Lord of the Treasury (Westminster communicate for Authorities Whip).

Sir Nic is accountable for:

SentencingYouth JusticeYouth HubsTransparencyMoJ Mission lead for Breakdown obstacles to alternative

He will even communicate on prisons, probation and parole within the Home of Commons (one thing James Timpson is constitutionally forbidden from doing).