Robert Buckland Weblog

We are now coming to the end of the Parliamentary session, which has been an extraordinary few months for me.  I am now delighted to say that the new office in Swindon, jointly run with North Swindon, is up and running.  I have tried to learn as much of the procedures of Westminster as possible by taking part in debates, tabling questions and joining All Party Groups.  I have spent much time here meeting interest groups ranging from local employers in Swindon to national organisations such as NACRO (National Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders).

I have particularly enjoyed starting my work on Committees.  Last week, the Justice Select Committee met with the Lord Chancellor, Ken Clarke, and asked him questions for nearly one and a half hours.  The topics ranged from court closures to offender management.  I asked some questions about the role of guidelines in sentencing, and about the dangers of passing legislation without the means of implementing it.  In the context of community sentences, I am extremely anxious to see that they become a more effective sentence.  Very often, it is the lack of meaningful alternatives to custody that give judges no real choice when it comes to sentencing offenders.  A short term of imprisonment may be the only way of protecting the local community, albeit for a short time. 

Ken Clarke has signalled an important change in strategy when it comes to short term prison sentences.  The choice for policy makers here is not tough versus soft, but smart versus dumb.  In many cases, well-targeted intervention to deal with the causes of offending will be money much better spent than on a few short months of incarceration.  For a number of years prior to the election, sentencers were being regularly told by the Probation Service that short sentences were not working and did little if anything to reduce crime levels.  The last Government ignored this reality; it takes a politician of the calibre of Ken Clarke to recognise it and to have the courage to try and do something about it. 

I have undergone the experience of taking part in a number of votes on a range of issues.  Sometimes, members of Parliament vote with a heavy heart on certain issues.  A week or so ago, I was not very happy to see an extension of the provisions that allow detention before charge for twenty-eight days, but having heard the Home Secretary declare her personal preference for a reduction in length, I decided that I could accept her call for the review into terrrorism provisions to take place before any change to this limit is carried out. 

Another important debate that has allowed me to question the detail of Government policy was the debate on the Academies Bill.  Whilst I support the Bill and its provisions, I was glad to see that amendments made in the House of Lords that enhanced the position of pupils in receipt of SEN were accepted by the Government.  In my contributions to the debate, which can be accessed via Theyworkforyou (link provided on this website),  I sought further clarity as to the procedures to be adopted by parents who had a complaint about the implementation of Statements or other action plans for pupils by schools or who had an issue about the admission of their child to an Academy.  I am glad to know that these issues will form part of the review into SEN provision that will be carried out by the Government in the Autumn. 

I am learning that an effective way of making progress on issues such as this is to raise detailed concerns about them so that the Government has to listen.  I will be taking part in the SEN review and will encourage Swindon residents with a shared interest/expertise to participate too.

The All Party Groups at Westminster proliferate, reflecting the huge range of experience and interest that exists.  I have joined many, including APPGs on Autism, Credit Unions, Speech and Language Disabilities; Disability; St. Helena; War Heritage and the All Party Kidney Group.    Membership of these groups is based upon personal or constituency interest, plus a wish to expand my knowledge into new areas.   The groups will orgainse information meetings and other events at Westminster, which will bring volunteers and experts into direct dialogue with MPs.  They can be an excellent way of raising issues of importance to all of us, and bring politicians of all parties and both Houses of Parliament together. 

The recess beckons, but this will mean only some days of rest.  As usual, there is plenty for me to see and do in South Swindon, and I will try and adopt a slightly slower pace in the weeks ahead.  This should give me some more time to read and blog.