Paul Jarvis and Edmund Smyth have been appointed as new members of the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) from 1 September 2019 until 31 August 2023.

Paul Jarvis is a Junior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court, appointed by the Attorney General to prosecute more serious cases such as murder and terrorism. He undertakes voluntary work on the Bar Standards Board’s Independent Decision-Making Body. He has written books and articles on criminal procedure and given a range of lectures on relevant subjects.

Edmund is a Senior Associate in the Criminal Litigation Department of Kingsley Napley. He represents individuals and corporates across the full spectrum of criminal and quasi-criminal investigations and prosecutions involving matters such as financial crime, bribery and corruption, asset recovery, sexual offences and extradition. He is a committee member of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association, and acts as the Association’s media officer.

The Courts Act 2003 established the CPRC to make rules governing the practice and procedure of magistrates’ courts, the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal, criminal division.

The Act requires the Committee to make rules that are simple and simply expressed, and that help make the criminal justice system accessible, fair and efficient.

These appointments have been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Appointments to CPRC are made by the Lord Chancellor in consultation with the Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales.

Last month the Official Receiver identified that prior to insolvency Thomas Cook had been providing personal injury cover for customers as part of its holiday package (as it was required to do) without fully insuring against the cost of potential claims themselves. 

This means it is very uncertain whether they will receive any of the compensation they would have ordinarily received against their claims. 

In an Oral Statement to Parliament, Ms Leadsom said that the government is determined to act quickly to provide reassurance to individuals and families with serious claims and who have suffered life-changing injuries, illness or loss of life, and is exploring all possible ways to make sure these claimants are not left in serious hardship. 

She committed to establishing an exceptional statutory compensation scheme to ensure that those left with serious long-term needs will be looked after. It will be a capped fund, sufficient to ensure there is support for those customers facing the most serious hardship as a result of injuries or loss of life for which UK-based Thomas Cook companies would have been liable. 

The government must strike a responsible balance between the moral duty to respond to those in the most serious need and the responsibility to the taxpayer, so routine claims covering short-term problems will not be covered under the scheme 

The government will consider a range of options and intends to bring forward any necessary legislation in the new Parliament to close this loophole. 

Further details on the terms of the scheme will be set out in due course.

HMCTS has today announced its intention to award new contracts for Approved Enforcement Agency (AEA) Services, to include all Warrants of Control and Warrants of Arrest in relation to the enforcement of unpaid criminal financial impositions.

The award follows a rigorous procurement exercise and successful bidders are as follows:

Region	Contractor
London	JBW Group
Midlands	JBW Group
North East	Marston Holdings Ltd
North West	Marston Holdings Ltd
South East	JBW Group
South West	Marston Holdings Ltd
Wales	Jacobs
Secondary Provider A (North East, North West, South West and Wales	JBW Group
Provider B (London, Midlands and South East)	Marston Holdings Ltd

A 10-day standstill period is now being observed in accordance with procurement regulations, after which the contracts will be awarded and signed.

The new contracts will see savings for the Ministry of Justice of c£4.8 million per year over the next five years and will allow robust performance reporting and monitoring to be implemented. Strict protocols are in place to ensure the highest standard of conduct of contractors and complaint handling procedures. Each company will be subject to strict oversight, ensuring all defendants are treated with respect in line with established codes of conduct.

For further information please contact:
Harry Harper
HMCTS Press Office
Phone: 020 3334 0386

Published 5 November 2019

The Secretary of State has reappointed Caroline Corby as board member of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) for a period of 2 years from 1 December 2020 to 30 November 2022.

Cafcass was created under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000. The body safeguards and promotes the welfare of children involved in family court proceedings.

Caroline Corby worked in the city for 13 years specialising in private equity where she also served on a number of private sector boards across a range of industries. In 2007 she joined the Board of London Probation Trust (LPT) and she served as Chair of LPT from 2012 to 2014.

In addition to her role at Cafcass, Caroline is Chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales and a Non-Executive Director of One Housing (a housing association based in the South East) and JML (a consumer products business). In addition, she chairs Fitness to Practice Panels for the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates the appointment of board members to Cafcass and the recruitment process must follow the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

This reappointment has been made in line with the Code.

Caroline Corby has not declared any political activity.

Published 5 November 2019

Juliet Lyon has been reappointed as Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel (IAP) on Deaths in Custody from 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2022.

She is currently Visiting Professor of the School of Law, Birkbeck, University of London.

IAP was established following publication of the Fulton report in April 2009, as part of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody for England and Wales. The Council combines a Ministerial Board and IAP. The Board is jointly chaired by MOJ, Home Office and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Ministers, and IAP’s role is to advise Ministers and the Ministerial Board on preventing deaths in custody. IAP’s remit covers all deaths in state custody (prison, approved premises, police, revenue and customs, immigration and psychiatric hospitals those detained under the Mental Health Act).

Juliet Lyon has not declared any political activity.

This reappointment has been conducted in accordance with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Published 5 November 2019