Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice is a major government department, at the heart of the justice system. We work to protect and advance the principles of justice. Our vision is to deliver a world-class justice system that works for everyone in society.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

David Lammy
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Justice)

Green Party
Siân Berry (Green - Brighton Pavilion)
Green Spokesperson (Justice)

Liberal Democrat
Jess Brown-Fuller (LD - Chichester)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Justice)

Conservative
Nick Timothy (Con - West Suffolk)
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Keen of Elie (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Justice)
Kieran Mullan (Con - Bexhill and Battle)
Shadow Minister (Justice)
Ministers of State
Lord Timpson (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Sarah Sackman (Lab - Finchley and Golders Green)
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Alex Davies-Jones (Lab - Pontypridd)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Jake Richards (Lab - Rother Valley)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Baroness Levitt (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Thursday 15th January 2026
Select Committee Docs
Tuesday 13th January 2026
16:25
Select Committee Inquiry
Monday 12th January 2026
Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate

The Justice Committee has launched an inquiry into children and young adults in the secure estate in England and Wales …

Written Answers
Friday 16th January 2026
Miscarriages of Justice
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been wrongfully convicted of a crime in the …
Secondary Legislation
Monday 8th December 2025
Court Funds (Amendment) Rules 2025
These Rules amend the Court Funds Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1734) (“the 2011 Rules”). The 2011 Rules govern the administration and …
Bills
Tuesday 16th September 2025
Public Office (Accountability) Bill 2024-26
A Bill to Impose a duty on public authorities and public officials to act with candour, transparency and frankness; to …
Dept. Publications
Friday 16th January 2026
16:00

Ministry of Justice Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Dec. 16
Oral Questions
Jan. 05
Urgent Questions
Nov. 27
Westminster Hall
Dec. 16
Adjournment Debate
View All Ministry of Justice Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Ministry of Justice does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Introduced: 11th September 2024

A Bill to make provision about the types of things that are not prevented from being objects of personal property rights.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 2nd December 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 1st April 2025

A Bill to Make provision about sentencing guidelines in relation to pre-sentence reports.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 19th June 2025 and was enacted into law.

Ministry of Justice - Secondary Legislation

These Rules amend the Court Funds Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1734) (“the 2011 Rules”). The 2011 Rules govern the administration and management of funds in court by the Accountant General. The primary purpose of these Rules is to provide more detail on differences in treatment between the accounts and investments of sterling deposits and foreign currency deposits.
Regulation 3 amends regulation 9 of the Criminal Legal Aid (General) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/9) to specify proceedings in the High Court concerning a release decision of the Parole Board referred under section 32ZAA of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 or section 256AZBA of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 as criminal proceedings for the purposes of section 14(h) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10) (“the Act”). Regulation 3 comes into force on 31st December 2025.
View All Ministry of Justice Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
Petition Open
6,875 Signatures
(3,924 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
4,933 Signatures
(2,774 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
598 Signatures
(167 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
294 Signatures
(147 in the last 7 days)
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Open
6,875 Signatures
(3,924 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
6,115 Signatures
(30 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
5,815 Signatures
(108 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
4,980 Signatures
(9 in the last 7 days)
Petition Debates Contributed

We call on the Government to urgently review the possible penalties for non-violent offences arising from social media posts, including the use of prison.

103,653
Petition Closed
4 May 2025
closed 8 months, 1 week ago

I am calling on the UK government to remove abortion from criminal law so that no pregnant person can be criminalised for procuring their own abortion.

View All Ministry of Justice Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Justice Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Justice Committee
Andy Slaughter Portrait
Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith and Chiswick)
Justice Committee Member since 11th September 2024
Neil Shastri-Hurst Portrait
Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Sarah Russell Portrait
Sarah Russell (Labour - Congleton)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Warinder Juss Portrait
Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Ashley Fox Portrait
Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Linsey Farnsworth Portrait
Linsey Farnsworth (Labour - Amber Valley)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Pam Cox Portrait
Pam Cox (Labour - Colchester)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Tessa Munt Portrait
Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Justice Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Matt Bishop Portrait
Matt Bishop (Labour - Forest of Dean)
Justice Committee Member since 17th March 2025
Tony Vaughan Portrait
Tony Vaughan (Labour - Folkestone and Hythe)
Justice Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Vikki Slade Portrait
Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Justice Committee Member since 13th November 2025
Justice Committee: Previous Inquiries
Constitutional relationship with the Crown Dependencies The work of the Lord Chancellor Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on prison, probation and court systems Ageing prison population Joint Enterprise: Follow-Up Mesothelioma claims The work of the Lord Chief Justice The work of the Youth Justice Board Manorial rights The work of the Administrative Justice Forum Women offenders: follow-up session The work of the Secretary of State: one-off Work of the Court of Protection The work of the Judicial Appointments Commission The work of the Parole Board Impact of changes to civil legal aid under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Prisons: planning and policies Scrutiny Hearing: Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints Older Prisoners: follow-up MOJ Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14 and related matters Criminal Cases Review Commission Follow up session on crime reduction policies and Transforming Rehabilitation Pre-appointment of new HM Chief Inspector of CPS Robbery Offences Guideline: Consultation Work of the Justice Committee during the 2010-2015 Parliament Health and safety offences, corporate manslaughter and food safety and hygiene offences guidelines consultation The work of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Work of HM Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service The work of the Attorney General Ministry of Justice report and accounts 2014-15 and related matters Work of Secretary of State for Justice Courts and tribunals fees and charges inquiry Young adult offenders inquiry Restorative justice inquiry Role of the magistracy inquiry Prison safety one-off evidence session Pre-appointment scrutiny Youth Justice Women Offenders Crown Dependencies: developments since 2010 Older prisoners Crime reduction policies: a co-ordinated approach? Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 EU Data Protection Framework Proposals Role of the Probation Service Court closures and other issues within the Minister's remit Operation of the Family Courts Access to Justice Draft Sentencing Guideline: Drug Offences and Burglary The Annual Report of the Sentencing Council Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council Ministry of Justice measures in the JHA block opt-out Prison reform inquiry Legal Services Regulation Criminal justice inspectorates and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Radicalisation in prisons and other prison matters Pre-appointment scrutiny of the Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission Law of homicide Ministry of Justice Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16 The Work of the Secretary of State Work of the Serious Fraud Office Children and young people in custody Disclosure of youth criminal records inquiry Implications of Brexit for the justice system inquiry Work of the Crown Prosecution Service HM Inspectorate of Prisons' relationship with the Ministry of Justice The Lord Chief Justice's report for 2015 Prison reform The work of the Law Commission The work of the sentencing council The Lord Chief Justice's report for 2017 inquiry The work of the Ministry of Justice Work of the Parole Board Young adults in the criminal justice system; and youth custodial estate Pre-legislative scrutiny: draft personal injury discount rate legislation inquiry Transforming Rehabilitation inquiry Prison Population 2022: planning for the future inquiry Employment tribunal fees Work of the Crown Prosecution Service Work of the Serious Fraud Office Work of the Victims' Commissioner Implications of Brexit for the Crown Dependencies inquiry Lord Chief Justice's report 2016 Government consultation on soft tissue injury claims Courts and tribunals fees follow-up Transforming Rehabilitation inquiry Pre-appointment hearing: Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints Personal injury: whiplash and the small claims limits inquiry Work of the Prison Service inquiry The work of the Lord Chancellor inquiry Work of the Victims' Commissioner inquiry Ageing prison population - inquiry Children and young people in custody - inquiry Prison governance inquiry HM Chief Inspector of Probation inquiry The work of the Solicitor General inquiry Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 inquiry Progress in the implementation of the Lammy Review's recommendations inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for HM Chief Inspector of Probation inquiry Court and Tribunal Reforms inquiry Work of the Attorney General inquiry Bailiffs: Enforcement of debt inquiry Serious Fraud Office inquiry Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Prosecution Service - evidence session The Lord Chief Justice's Report for 2018 inquiry The role of the magistracy – follow up inquiry HMP Birmingham inquiry The implications of Brexit for the justice system: follow-up inquiry Pre-commencement hearing: Chair of the Parole Board inquiry Ministry of Justice Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 inquiry Pre-appointment hearing: Prisons and Probation Ombudsman inquiry The work of the Law Commission Criminal legal aid Disclosure of evidence in criminal cases inquiry Small claims limit for personal injury inquiry The transparency of Parole Board decisions and involvement of victims in the process HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on HMP Liverpool Private prosecutions: safeguards The Coroner Service The future of the Probation Service Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Victims Bill Public opinion and understanding of sentencing The prison operational workforce Whiplash Reform and the Official Injury Claim service Future prison population and estate capacity The use of pre-recorded cross-examination under Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 Work of the County Court Regulation of the legal professions The Coroner Service: follow-up Probate Rehabilitation and resettlement: ending the cycle of reoffending Tackling drugs in prisons: supply, demand and treatment Access to Justice Reform of the Family Court Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate Ageing prison population Bailiffs: Enforcement of debt Children and young people in custody Court and Tribunal Reforms Criminal legal aid Work of the Crown Prosecution Service Director of Public Prosecutions Employment tribunal fees HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on HMP Liverpool HMP Birmingham The implications of Brexit for the justice system: follow-up Prison governance HM Chief Inspector of Probation Progress in the implementation of the Lammy Review's recommendations Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 The Lord Chief Justice's Report for 2018 Ministry of Justice Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 Work of the Parole Board Pre-appointment hearing for HM Chief Inspector of Probation Pre-commencement hearing: Chair of the Parole Board Prison Population 2022: planning for the future The role of the magistracy – follow up Serious Fraud Office Transforming Rehabilitation Transparency of Parole Board decisions Work of the Victims' Commissioner Work of the Attorney General The work of the Law Commission The work of the Ministry of Justice The work of the Solicitor General Work of the Serious Fraud Office Young adults in the criminal justice system The work of the Lord Chancellor Work of the Prison Service The Lord Chief Justice's report for 2017 inquiry

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

12th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been wrongfully convicted of a crime in the last ten years.

We have interpreted this question as relating to successful appeals against verdicts, heard at the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal.

The Ministry of Justice publishes quarterly data on successful appeals against magistrates’ courts verdicts heard at the Crown Court in the Criminal Courts Statistics release. Data started being published from 2016. As a result, the dataset covers the past nine years. This can be found in column E of Table_C11 in the statistical tables: Criminal court statistics - GOV.UK.

Figures for the number of successful appeals against convictions in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) are published annually in the Royal Courts of Justice tables within Civil Justice Statistics Quarterly. This can be found in column B of table 2.2: Royal_Courts_of_Justice_Annual_Tables_2024.ods.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of mass legal claims against publicly funded bodies, such as the Legal Aid Agency, on (a) vulnerable consumers and (b) levels of resource available for frontline services.

Public bodies are expected to identify material risks to vulnerable consumers or levels of resource available for frontline services, including due to any mass legal claims, and are responsible for managing their impact.

The Ministry of Justice has a partnership relationship with each of its funded public bodies that enables the body to escalate new risks as appropriate. The Department carries out an annual risk assessment of each of its public bodies, where significant upcoming risks can be identified and an assessment of the impact made.

Additionally, public bodies that receive funding from the Ministry of Justice are responsible for working collaboratively with the Department as it determines the level of funding that will be provided to them annually. Any pressures that can be predicted due to mass legal claims would be expected to be raised with the Ministry of Justice and levels of resource would be discussed with those bodies on an individual basis through existing financial allocation processes.

Other Government Departments are responsible for the assessment of risks to public bodies sponsored by them.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will publish the number of former clients affected by the collapse of McClure Solicitors.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the number of former clients affected by the collapse of WW&J McClure Ltd (McClure) and is therefore not in a position to publish those figures.

The legal profession in England and Wales, together with its regulators, operates independently of government. Responsibility for regulating the sector sits with approved regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of solicitors and most law firms in England and Wales. Information about the impact of an individual firm’s closure on its former clients, including any estimates of affected client numbers, is a matter for the relevant regulator and those responsible for the firm’s former files.

Details of the SRA’s ongoing work in relation to McClure is available here: https://www.sra.org.uk/news/news/mcclure/.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing information for clients on their rights, options and available redress following the collapse of a regulated legal firm.

The legal profession in England and Wales, together with its regulators, operate independently of government. The responsibility for regulating the sector sits with approved regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of solicitors and most law firms in England and Wales.

The SRA can publish information for clients following the collapse of a regulated firm, including guidance on their rights, options and routes to redress. This includes information on accessing client files, the role of the SRA’s intervention process, compensation arrangements where applicable, and signposting to complaints and redress bodies such as the Legal Ombudsman. For example, the SRA has published specific guidance for clients affected by WW&J McClure Ltd entering into administration in 2021, which is available here: SRA | WW&J McClure and Jones Whyte | Solicitors Regulation Authority.

The Government keeps the overall framework for legal services regulation under review and engages regularly with regulators. While the independent regulators publish information for clients affected by law firm collapses, the Government may seek to support access to this information for consumers where appropriate.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of civil justice processes in providing effective access to justice for claimants; and if he will publish any data on the average percentage of a claimant's compensation award which is taken up by legal and third party costs.

The Government is committed to ensuring access to justice, and we welcomed the Justice Committee’s recent inquiry into the Work of the County Court. As the Government acknowledged in its response, the County Court faces substantial challenges. However, performance is beginning to turn a corner with good progress being made towards a more efficient, timely and digitised service; and we expect this to continue.

The Civil Justice Council (CJC) is a statutory body that advises the Lord Chancellor, the judiciary, and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee. Amongst its statutory functions, the CJC keeps the civil justice system under review and makes recommendations on, how to make the civil justice system more accessible, fair, and efficient. The CJC’s recent report into litigation funding has been critical in helping shape Government policy on improving the civil justice system.

Claimants may be able enter into a private agreement with a lawyer using a Conditional Fee Agreement or a Damages Based Agreement, or with a third-party funder using a Litigation Funding Agreement. Such agreements usually mean that a claimant will not have to pay all or part of their own legal costs unless they win their case. This payment would usually be deducted from the compensation awarded, though it could be defined as a percentage of compensation or a multiple of legal base costs, depending on the type of agreement used. Solicitors should inform their clients of any fees, and the circumstances in which their fees, or part of their fees, are payable.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the average percentage of a claimant’s compensation award that is taken up by legal and third-party costs.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals to the Crown Court originating from magistrates’ courts in the most recent year for which data is available were (a) allowed, (b) dismissed, or (c) withdrawn.

Data on appeals to the Crown Court from magistrates’ courts are published as part of the Criminal Court Statistics quarterly release in table C11. Data is split into appeals against the verdict and appeals against the sentence with breakdowns provided for those ‘Allowed’ (the same definition as successful) / ‘Dismissed’ and ‘Abandoned or otherwise disposed’. There is no breakdown specifically available for ‘Withdrawn’.

Figures are also provided for the proportion of appeals against the verdict and appeals against the sentence that were successful (“Allowed”): ccsq_accessible_publication_tables_2025Q3.ods.

Appeals by way of case stated and Judicial reviews are heard in the High Court with some of these originating from the Crown and magistrates’ courts. Published statistics on the annual volume of judicial reviews can be found in Table 2.5: Civil justice statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of appeals to the Crown Court originating from magistrates’ courts were successful in the most recent year for which data is available.

Data on appeals to the Crown Court from magistrates’ courts are published as part of the Criminal Court Statistics quarterly release in table C11. Data is split into appeals against the verdict and appeals against the sentence with breakdowns provided for those ‘Allowed’ (the same definition as successful) / ‘Dismissed’ and ‘Abandoned or otherwise disposed’. There is no breakdown specifically available for ‘Withdrawn’.

Figures are also provided for the proportion of appeals against the verdict and appeals against the sentence that were successful (“Allowed”): ccsq_accessible_publication_tables_2025Q3.ods.

Appeals by way of case stated and Judicial reviews are heard in the High Court with some of these originating from the Crown and magistrates’ courts. Published statistics on the annual volume of judicial reviews can be found in Table 2.5: Civil justice statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of Crown Court convictions and sentences in the most recent year for which data is available were appealed to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).

The Ministry of Justice does not hold the information required to calculate the proportion of Crown Court convictions and sentences that were appealed to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to introduce additional safeguards to ensure that third-party litigation funding agreements do not expose consumers to unfair financial outcomes.

We intend to legislate to introduce proportionate regulation of litigation funding agreements when parliamentary time allows. The new regulatory framework will aim to enhance claimant protection, transparency, and the effectiveness of the litigation funding market.

The Government recognises the critical role third-party litigation funding plays in access to justice. That is why we are committed to ensuring it works fairly for all. We will outline next steps in due course.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on consumers of misleading “no win, no fee” advertising by high-volume claims firms, including instances where hidden fees or complex funding arrangements expose claimants to unexpected financial risk.

The Government is aware of concerns that misleading "no win, no fee" advertising can expose consumers to unexpected financial risk, including through unclear information about fees, deductions, and related funding or insurance arrangements. Whether entering into a “no win, no fee” arrangement through a legal services provider or claims management company (CMC), consumers should receive clear and timely information about what they are agreeing to.

The legal and claims management sectors are regulated independently of government. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of solicitors and most law firms in England and Wales, including claims management activities they undertake. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates specified claims management activities carried out by CMCs.

The Ministry of Justice has been working closely with relevant regulators and partners across the system, including engagement with the SRA and FCA, to understand and support action to address risks to consumers in the high-volume consumer claims market. I met with both organisations recently and impressed upon the regulators the need for tougher, more consistent regulation of conditional fee agreements.

The SRA has, and is, undertaking a range of work in this area, including ongoing investigations, a thematic review and discussion paper, requiring mandatory compliance declarations from firms operating in the high-volume consumer claims sector, consumer research, and guidance and Warning Notices for law firms. This includes action to improve how “no win, no fee” arrangements are explained, including exploring standardised wording and templates to support clearer consumer communications. The SRA will also shortly be reminding firms of their current obligations by publishing a Warning Notice relating to “no win, no fee” claims. Further information on the SRA’s work in relation to high-volume consumer claims is available at: https://www.sra.org.uk/home/hot-topics/high-volume-consumer-claims/.

The FCA has set out clear expectations for CMC marketing and customer communications, including that promotions must be fair, clear and not misleading and that “no win, no fee” advertising must include prominent information about relevant fees and termination charges. The FCA has also intervened to require misleading CMC promotions to be amended or withdrawn, and has recently written to CMCs active in motor finance claims to remind them to review their promotions and ensure compliance with FCA rules and the Consumer Duty.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of decisions made in the county courts were appealed to the High Court or Court of Appeal in the most recent year for which data is available.

Data on the number of decisions made in the county courts and the proportion appealed to the Court of Appeal can be found in the following official publications: Royal_Courts_of_Justice_Annual_Tables_2024.ods.

High Court data is not broken down by source court, therefore the number of appeals originating from county courts cannot be determined.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals originating from the county courts were (a) allowed, (b) dismissed or (c) withdrawn in the most recent year for which data is available.

Official statistics published by Ministry of Justice provide figures for appeals.

In the most recent year for which data is available (2024), the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) recorded the outcomes for appeals originating from the county courts that were allowed and dismissed. This along with data on the proportion of appeals against county court decisions that were successful can be found in the following official publication: Royal Courts of Justice and Judicial Sitting Days Annual Tables - 2024.

Withdrawn cases are not separately recorded in the published dataset.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of appeals against county court decisions in the most recent year for which data is available were successful.

Official statistics published by Ministry of Justice provide figures for appeals.

In the most recent year for which data is available (2024), the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) recorded the outcomes for appeals originating from the county courts that were allowed and dismissed. This along with data on the proportion of appeals against county court decisions that were successful can be found in the following official publication: Royal Courts of Justice and Judicial Sitting Days Annual Tables - 2024.

Withdrawn cases are not separately recorded in the published dataset.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals to the Court of Appeal originating from the Crown Court in the most recent year for which data is available were (a) allowed, (b) dismissed, or (c) withdrawn.

Official statistics published by Ministry of Justice provide figures for appeals that were allowed and dismissed. Withdrawn cases are not separately recorded in the published dataset.

In the most recent year for which data is available (2024), Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) outcomes for appeals originating from the crown courts and data on the proportion of appeals against crown court decisions were successful can be found in the following official publication:

Royal Courts of Justice and Judicial Sitting Days Annual Tables - 2024.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of appeals to the Court of Appeal originating from the Crown Court were successful in the most recent year for which data is available.

Official statistics published by Ministry of Justice provide figures for appeals that were allowed and dismissed. Withdrawn cases are not separately recorded in the published dataset.

In the most recent year for which data is available (2024), Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) outcomes for appeals originating from the crown courts and data on the proportion of appeals against crown court decisions were successful can be found in the following official publication:

Royal Courts of Justice and Judicial Sitting Days Annual Tables - 2024.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the outstanding caseload is in the Crown Court, broken down by offence category and region.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the Crown Court open caseload on a quarterly basis in the Criminal Court Statistics publication. The latest available data covers the period up to September 2025 and this can be broken down by offence category and region using the Crown Court receipts, disposals and open cases tool.

Criminal court statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were adjourned due to lack of judicial availability in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on trials that are ineffective due to a judge or magistrate not being available.

An ineffective trial does not go ahead on the scheduled trial date, and a further listing is required.

This information can be found on a quarterly basis using the ‘Trial effectiveness at the criminal courts tool’ and filtering the reason to ‘23. Ineffective reason: Judge/magistrate availability’ at the link below: Criminal court statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of judicial penalties for domestic abuse.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors. The courts also have a statutory duty to follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, issued by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.

Although domestic abuse is not a standalone offence, it is a context within which a wide range of criminal offences may be committed, which courts will take into account.

We recognise the importance of consistently identifying domestic abuse offenders at every stage of the system. That is why we are moving at pace to implement a domestic abuse identifier at sentencing in criminal cases, delivering on a recommendation made in the Independent Sentencing Review.

This domestic abuse identifier will enable police, prisons and probation to more consistently identify domestic abuse offenders. This will mean improved support for victims, whether the domestic abuse perpetrator is in the community or in prison.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to support farmers who are victims of agricultural crime.

The Government is committed to ensuring all victims, including victims of agricultural crimes, get the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. Under the Victims’ Code, victims of agricultural crimes are entitled to be given information about and be referred to victim support services by the police to help them cope and recover from the impact of a crime. A consultation on a new Victims’ Code will take place in due course to ensure it gets the foundations right for all victims.

The Ministry of Justice continues to provide all 42 Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) areas in England and Wales with annual grant funding to commission local support services for victims of all crimes, including those affected by agricultural crime. PCCs are best placed to understand their local communities and providers, and to commission appropriate support to meet the need of victims in their area.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to launch a public consultation on reform of wedding law in England and Wales.

The Government announced on 2 October that we intend to reform weddings law when parliamentary time allows. The reforms reflect a commitment to making marriage law fairer, simpler and more modern while also protecting the solemnity and dignity of marriage. The next step is to undertake a consultation on reform of wedding law in England and Wales early into this year.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
12th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether there are any other live legal cases of prisoners challenging their detention in a Close Supervision Centre or Separation Centre.

I refer the right honourable Member to the answer I gave on 11 December to Question 97787.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison cell fires there were in 2025, broken down by institution.

The information requested is provided in the following table:

Location

Total Cell Fires

HM Prison Altcourse

11

HM Prison Ashfield

0

HM Prison Askham Grange

0

HM Prison Aylesbury

14

HM Prison Bedford

12

HM Prison Belmarsh

8

HM Prison Berwyn

74

HM Prison Birmingham

76

HM Prison Brinsford

30

HM Prison Bristol

60

HM Prison Brixton

31

HM Prison Bronzefield

0

HM Prison Buckley Hall

6

HM Prison Bullingdon

18

HM Prison Bure

1

HM Prison Cardiff

4

HM Prison Channings Wood

8

HM Prison Chelmsford

15

HM Prison Coldingley

6

HM Prison Cookham Wood

0

HM Prison Dartmoor

0

HM Prison Deerbolt

31

HM Prison Doncaster

45

HM Prison Dovegate

76

HM Prison Downview

2

HM Prison Drake Hall

4

HM Prison Durham

16

HM Prison East Sutton Park

0

HM Prison Eastwood Park

6

HM Prison Elmley

51

HM Prison Erlestoke

31

HM Prison Exeter

2

HM Prison Featherstone

4

HM Prison Feltham

40

HM Prison Five Wells

11

HM Prison Ford

0

HM Prison Forest Bank

94

HM Prison Fosse Way

42

HM Prison Foston Hall

6

HM Prison Frankland

3

HM Prison Full Sutton

2

HM Prison Garth

49

HM Prison Gartree

30

HM Prison Grendon

0

HM Prison Guys Marsh

20

HM Prison Hatfield

0

HM Prison Haverigg

0

HM Prison Hewell

8

HM Prison High Down

12

HM Prison Highpoint

28

HM Prison Hindley

5

HM Prison Hollesley Bay

0

HM Prison Holme House

52

HM Prison Hull

35

HM Prison Humber

64

HM Prison Huntercombe

5

HM Prison Isis

20

HM Prison Isle of Wight

7

HM Prison Kirkham

0

HM Prison Kirklevington Grange

0

HM Prison Lancaster Farms

5

HM Prison Leeds

22

HM Prison Leicester

14

HM Prison Lewes

38

HM Prison Leyhill

0

HM Prison Lincoln

8

HM Prison Lindholme

74

HM Prison Littlehey

2

HM Prison Liverpool

9

HM Prison Long Lartin

46

HM Prison Low Newton

5

HM Prison Lowdham Grange

78

HM Prison Maidstone

1

HM Prison Manchester

35

HM Prison Millsike

6

HM Prison Moorland

28

HM Prison Morton Hall

3

HM Prison New Hall

3

HM Prison North Sea Camp

0

HM Prison Northumberland

13

HM Prison Norwich

20

HM Prison Nottingham

54

HM Prison Oakwood

28

HM Prison Onley

16

HM Prison Parc

63

HM Prison Pentonville

21

HM Prison Peterborough

51

HM Prison Portland

32

HM Prison Prescoed

0

HM Prison Preston

6

HM Prison Ranby

35

HM Prison Risley

13

HM Prison Rochester

13

HM Prison Rye Hill

0

HM Prison Send

0

HM Prison Spring Hill

0

HM Prison Stafford

0

HM Prison Standford Hill

0

HM Prison Stocken

39

HM Prison Stoke Heath

4

HM Prison Styal

22

HM Prison Sudbury

0

HM Prison Swaleside

77

HM Prison Swansea

1

HM Prison Swinfen Hall

36

HM Prison Thameside

72

HM Prison The Mount

29

HM Prison The Verne

1

HM Prison Thorn Cross

0

HM Prison Usk

0

HM Prison Wakefield

8

HM Prison Wandsworth

62

HM Prison Warren Hill

0

HM Prison Wayland

19

HM Prison Wealstun

69

HM Prison Werrington

10

HM Prison Wetherby

37

HM Prison Whatton

1

HM Prison Whitemoor

4

HM Prison Winchester

33

HM Prison Woodhill

88

HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs

7

HM Prison Wymott

10

Total

2546

The overwhelming majority of the cell fires were classed as ‘minor’ and were quickly dealt with by staff. Medical assessment is provided to anyone who may have been exposed to smoke or heat. Where it is found that a fire is the result of arson, or recklessness, the prisoner responsible will face robust punitive action, which can include further criminal charges. All operational staff receive training in responding to fire incidents, including the use of specialist safety and firefighting equipment.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to improve pre-release planning to ensure that prison leavers do not become homeless or sleep rough following release.

We are committed to ensuring that robust pre-release plans are created for those leaving custody, so that accommodation needs are identified early and the right support is put in place. Dedicated Pre-Release Teams in prisons work closely with individuals to identify immediate needs, coordinate referrals to relevant services, and support continuity between custody and the community.

In the National Plan to End Homelessness, the Government has committed to reduce the proportion of people released from prison homeless by 50% by the end of this parliament. 50 prison-based Strategic Housing Specialists (SHS) across England and Wales work with probation teams and Local Authorities to enable a multi-agency approach to securing housing before release, including by establishing pre-release accommodation panels with appropriate Local Authorities. We are also investing in integrating digital community accommodation services to make it easier to identify and match individuals to the right housing-related support at the right time.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with counterparts in Northern Ireland on access to mental health support in prisons at all times.

Neither I, nor my ministerial colleagues have had any recent discussions with counterparts in Northern Ireland on access to mental health support in prisons.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what statutory basis compensation was paid to Fuad Awale; and what the criteria are for such payments.

Compensation and legal costs were paid in order to comply with an order of the High Court. Failure to do so would have constituted a breach of the court order.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
9th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) murderers and (b) prisoners with a history of attacking prison officers are in open prisons for which the latest data is available.

As of 30 September 2025, there were 266 prisoners with an index offence of murder in prisons whose predominant function is open in England and Wales.

Information on the number of prisoners in the open estate with a history of attacking prison officers could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

The decision to categorise a prisoner at Category D, indicating suitability to be placed in open conditions, involves a thorough risk assessment that takes into account the prisoner’s individual circumstances, including the nature of the offence and any risk they present to the public. In the case of a prisoner serving a sentence of imprisonment for life, or for public protection, the assessment takes account of advice from the independent Parole Board.

Note: The figure has been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to Question 100423 answered on 22 December 2025 about Crown Courts Midlands, out of the 111,250 sitting days how many extra sitting days were allocated at [a] Leicester Crown Court, [b] Coventry Combined Court Centre and [c] Warwick Crown Court in the current financial year compared to the 2024-2025 financial year.

The Government is committed to bearing down on the backlog. We allocated the highest number of Cown Court sitting days on record this financial year (2025/26) and have allocated a further 1,250 sitting days for this financial year.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Lady Chief Justice continue discussions on the allocation for 2025-26 and we will say more in due course.

The table below shows allocated sitting days for Warwick and Leicester Crown Courts. It should be noted that Coventry Crown Court is a “satellite site” primarily used by Warwick, but also utilised by Birmingham Crown Court for sittings. It therefore has no sitting day allocation (as the sitting days come from the allocations of either Warwick or Birmingham).

Financial year

Warwick Crown Court

Leicester Crown Court

24/25

1377 days

1578 days

25/26

1517 days

1560 days

Source: Internal HMCTS management information

On top of the above allocations, during 25/26 Leicester has been allocated an additional 60 sitting days, and Warwick has been allocated an additional 25 days.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009; and whether any measures referred to in the House of Commons Hansard debate of 2 November 2009 (Vol. 498, col. 6) were implemented, withdrawn or remain in effect.

No systematic concerns have been raised by stakeholders about the operation of the Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009, and as such, no assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Act.

The then Perpetuities and Accumulations Bill was read for a Third Time on 2 November 2009 and passed without amendment. This is a complex and technical area of law. There are several regimes that apply in practice, following the 2009 Act coming into force, which are briefly summarised below.

  • The Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009 applies to instruments executed on or after 6 April 2010 and sets a statutory perpetuity period of 125 years.
  • The Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 1964 applies to instruments executed on or after 16 July 1964 and before 6 April 2010, allowing for a statutory period of up to 80 years if specified in the trust document.
  • The Law of Property Act 1925 applies to instruments executed on or after 1 January 1926 and before 16 July 1964, reiterating the common law perpetuity period (lives in being plus 21 years) while also introducing relevant statutory modifications.

In all other cases, only the common law rules apply.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of people in prison for knife relate crime, broken down by age.

Statistics of this nature could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to help support people affected by the poor performance of specialist conveyancing businesses which are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

The regulation of legal services in England and Wales operates independently of government and is underpinned by the Legal Services Act (LSA) 2007. The Act establishes a framework under which certain activities, known as reserved legal activities, may only be carried out by authorised persons regulated by an approved regulator (or persons otherwise exempt from authorisations). Conveyancing is a reserved legal activity when it involves legal tasks such as preparing instruments like transfer deeds, charges, and applications for land registration.

Reserved conveyancing services are regulated by approved regulators under the LSA 2007, for example the Solicitors Regulation Authority where they are provided by solicitors or solicitor-led firms, and by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) where they are provided by licensed conveyancers or CLC-authorised firms. In both cases, authorised providers are subject to professional standards for entry to the profession, ongoing regulatory oversight which includes ensuring adherence to a wide range of published codes of conduct, mandatory Professional Indemnity Insurance, and clear and transparent complaints arrangements. Consumers may pursue redress through internal complaints procedures and then through the Legal Ombudsman if the response from the provider is not satisfactory.

The Government recognises the impact that poor performance by conveyancing providers can have on consumers. The home buying and selling process is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government who recently consulted on proposals to drive improvements. This has involved extensive engagement with the wider industry, including conveyancing regulators, to ensure it takes maximum advantage of the opportunities of technology to improve the functioning of the housing market in the consumer and public interest, and support growth. The Ministry of Justice keeps the overall framework for legal services regulation and associated consumer protections under review to ensure it remains proportionate and effective, but has no current plans to introduce additional measures.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Urgent Question HMP Leyhill: Offender Abscondments, how many of the 57 prisoner abscondments that occurred in 2025 remained at large as of 1 January 2026.

There were 57 absconds in the year ending March 2025. Data on absconds is published annually in the HMPPS Annual Digest: HMPPS Annual Digest 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK. This only includes a 30-day reference point for whether prisoners remained at large. Data for April 2025 to March 2026 will be published in July 2026 as part of the next HMPPS Annual Digest.

Public protection is our top priority. When a prisoner absconds, police are immediately notified and are responsible for locating the offender. The majority of absconders are quickly recaptured and returned to custody.

Those who abscond face serious consequences, including being returned to closed prison conditions where they may serve up to two additional years on conviction. Prisoners subject to parole decisions will likely face longer before they are released.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of overseas domestic workers who have been able to enforce their rights to fair pay and working conditions through an employment tribunal over the last decade.

The Department publishes regular statistics on Employment Tribunals claims, which includes claims relating to pay and working conditions (such as unauthorised deductions, minimum wage, working time, and equal pay) which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2025/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2025.

The published data does not break down claims by claimant characteristics (such as nationality or visa status), or the type of work conducted by claimant.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
8th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps with HM Courts and Tribunals Service to ensure that courts can accept attachments of more than 20 megabytes in size from plaintiffs and defendants.

New digital systems developed by HM Courts & Tribunals Service during the Reform Programme, are already of sufficient size to cater for most documents that need to be uploaded during proceedings. Limits are currently 1GB for documents and 500MB for multimedia. These are in place to protect systems from malicious attack. A 1GB limit allows for a standard text document of around 26,000 pages, and around 7,000 pages if images are included. These standards will be the baseline for future digital development.

A review is being completed on the current limit relating to email submissions which is set at a lower level, and we recognise is particularly restrictive for users.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help ensure that victims of domestic abuse and specifically children are supported and rehabilitated through court processes.

The Government is committed to ensuring that victims of domestic abuse, including children, are properly supported through court processes in England and Wales.

We are reforming court procedures in private family law proceedings relating to children to make them safer and more child-centred, including through the expansion of the Pathfinder model. This innovative court model uses a less adversarial approach for private law children proceedings and is now operating in 10 court areas including all of Wales. The model sees the courts work closely with local domestic abuse agencies, to ensure that specialist support and access to domestic abuse risk assessments are in place. We are committed to expanding the model so that more people can benefit from this approach.

We are also committed to improving the criminal court response to domestic abuse and are considering additional measures to achieve better outcomes for victims. As recommended by the Independent Sentencing Review, this includes considering whether to expand the use of Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts.

Victims of domestic abuse involved in family court proceedings, as well as in civil or criminal court proceedings, may have protections such as special measures, including giving evidence via a video link or from behind a screen. Alongside this, abusers may be prohibited from directly cross-examining their victims, in family and civil proceedings. In these cases, the court may appoint a qualified legal representative instead. In the criminal courts there are longstanding statutory prohibitions against an unrepresented defended cross-examining a complainant or witness. Practice Directions in the criminal and family courts also permit Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) and Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) to accompany parties in proceedings, which provides further support to victims.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to Question 101467 answered on 5 January 2026 about Men, if he will speak to Cabinet colleagues about the potential merits of the appointment of a Minister or Government-appointed Ambassador to capture common themes and trends facing men and boys arising from the Men and Boys Summit and the Men's Health Strategy.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Deputy Prime Minister and myself, the Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, with leading the Government’s efforts to tackle the challenges faced by men and boys. This work is in development, but we will of course ensure that the Men and Boys Summit and its outcomes align with existing strategies and activity across Government, including the Men’s Health Strategy. We will keep Cabinet colleagues updated and provide further detail in due course.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to Question 101467 on Men, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the terms and reference, objectives and conclusions of the planned Men and Boys Summit feed into wider policy work about men, including the implementation of the Men's Health Strategy.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Deputy Prime Minister and myself, the Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, with leading the Government’s efforts to tackle the challenges faced by men and boys. This work is in development, but we will of course ensure that the Men and Boys Summit and its outcomes align with existing strategies and activity across Government, including the Men’s Health Strategy. We will keep Cabinet colleagues updated and provide further detail in due course.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much their Department has spent on (a) advertising and (b) marketing in each of the last three years.

We are unable to separate advertising and marketing spend. Total spend with our media buying agency Omnigov and TMP for the last three financial years is as follows:

22/23

23/24

24/25

£3,120,675

£12,609,151

£8,975,058

The Ministry of Justice advertising spend is published yearly within our Annual Report and Accounts. Attached are the reports that cover the three previous financial years.

2022/23 – Annual Report and Accounts

2023/24 – Annual Report and Accounts

2024/25 – Annual Report and Accounts

The Ministry of Justice uses advertising to support the Department in delivering its key priorities. These priorities include campaigns that ensure victims of crime are aware of, and able to access the support services available to them, as well as our recruitment campaigns that support filling our operationally critical front line roles in the Prison and Probation Service, and Magistrates roles.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
7th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot sent on the 27 of November 2025 with case ref MW04041.

As the majority of the issues raised do not fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, the correspondence was transferred out of the Department and accepted by the Home Office.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been released in error from HMP Morton Hall since July 2024.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point national action plan to reduce releases in error, which includes strengthening release checks across prisons and an independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab), and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been released in error from HM Prison Lincoln since July 2024.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point national action plan to reduce releases in error, which includes strengthening release checks across prisons and an independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab), and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been released in error from North Sea Camp Prison since July 2024.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point national action plan to reduce releases in error, which includes strengthening release checks across prisons and an independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab), and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been released in error from HM Prison Peterborough since July 2024.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point national action plan to reduce releases in error, which includes strengthening release checks across prisons and an independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab), and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he expects Dame Lynne Owens’ independent investigation into the mistaken release of Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford on 24th of October 2025 to conclude; and whether he plans publish the findings in full.

On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point national action plan to reduce releases in error, which includes strengthening release checks across prisons and commissioning an independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens.

The Deputy Prime Minister has asked Dame Lynne Owens to report back by the end of February 2026, with recommendations on how to reduce the likelihood of releases in error in the future.

Following this, the Deputy Prime Minister will consider the findings and recommendations carefully.

In line with the Deputy Prime Minister’s commitment to transparency, Parliament will be kept informed of the outcomes related to the review.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
6th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve coordination between NHS mental health services and criminal justice agencies.

Together with NHS England, we are committed to continuing to work in partnership to improve services to ensure that people in contact with the criminal justice system have access to timely and effective mental health care that is tailored to their needs. This is reflected in the National Partnership Agreement on Health and Social Care in England which was published in February 2023 and is supported by robust governance and regular ministerial engagement between Departments.

The National Partnership Agreement sets out a shared priority workplan to deliver safe, decent and effective care that improves health outcomes for people in prison and those subject to supervision by the probation service in the community. This ensures a coordinated approach between health and justice partners to improve health outcomes for those in contact with the justice system.

To improve continuity of care and swift access to treatment on release, we have recruited over 67 Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators who strengthen healthcare pathways and bolster support, including for those on Mental Health Treatment Requirements (MHTRs), by building partnerships between prison, probation and treatment providers. NHS England’s RECONNECT service also supports prison leavers with identified health needs, to engage with the right health services in the community. Services work with people up to 12 weeks before release, and 6 months post-release.

Our ongoing partnership with NHSE has achieved an increase in the number of MHTRs, with the number of people sentenced to MHTRs now more than five times higher than it was a decade ago, up from 960 in 2014 to 4,880 in 2024.

We are committed to continuing to work with our health partners to provide effective, coordinated services for those with a mental health need.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the cost-effectiveness of (a) alcohol monitoring tags and (b) custodial sentences for alcohol-related offences.

The Department does not directly compare the cost-effectiveness of alcohol monitoring tags and alcohol-related custodial sentences.

Alcohol monitoring is used a tool to assist with the safe management of individuals in the community, where alcohol has been shown to be a factor in their offence or offending behaviour, and in support of other requirements added to a court order or post-custody licence. There will and should be instances where an individual is required to serve a custodial sentence given the offence they have committed and for public protection. The compliance rate of alcohol monitoring imposed by the court as part of a Community Order or Suspended Sentence Order, which imposes a total ban on drinking alcohol for up to 120 days, showed from the introduction of the technology in October 2020 through to 6 June 2025, the devices did not register a tamper or alcohol alert for 97.3% of the days worn.

The number of individuals subject to alcohol monitoring between October 2020 and June 2024 is available in Table 4.1 of the data tables published in the following link: Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, June 2024 - GOV.UK. The most recent provisional figures for alcohol monitoring, covering November 2025, can be found in the following link: Ad-Hoc Alcohol Monitoring Statistics Publication, Dec 2025 - GOV.UK

Please note that caseload statistics published after July 2025 are not directly comparable with earlier data due to changes in the definition and methodology used to classify individuals as “tagged”.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders were subject to alcohol monitoring tags over the Christmas and New Year period in each of the last five years.

The Department does not directly compare the cost-effectiveness of alcohol monitoring tags and alcohol-related custodial sentences.

Alcohol monitoring is used a tool to assist with the safe management of individuals in the community, where alcohol has been shown to be a factor in their offence or offending behaviour, and in support of other requirements added to a court order or post-custody licence. There will and should be instances where an individual is required to serve a custodial sentence given the offence they have committed and for public protection. The compliance rate of alcohol monitoring imposed by the court as part of a Community Order or Suspended Sentence Order, which imposes a total ban on drinking alcohol for up to 120 days, showed from the introduction of the technology in October 2020 through to 6 June 2025, the devices did not register a tamper or alcohol alert for 97.3% of the days worn.

The number of individuals subject to alcohol monitoring between October 2020 and June 2024 is available in Table 4.1 of the data tables published in the following link: Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, June 2024 - GOV.UK. The most recent provisional figures for alcohol monitoring, covering November 2025, can be found in the following link: Ad-Hoc Alcohol Monitoring Statistics Publication, Dec 2025 - GOV.UK

Please note that caseload statistics published after July 2025 are not directly comparable with earlier data due to changes in the definition and methodology used to classify individuals as “tagged”.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure the well-being of prison guards witnessing hunger strikes.

By the nature of their roles, staff working in the prison system can experience challenging situations and it is essential that they are supported to carry out their important roles to support prisoners, including those who refuse food. Given these challenges, we provide extensive mental health support, including a 24-hour helpline, confidential counselling, and online wellbeing services.

We deliver Trauma Risk Management training (TRiM) - a peer-led support scheme for frontline staff who have experienced a traumatic event - in all establishments, and our TRiM practitioners and Care Teams provide further support following any incidents while on duty.

The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers confidential 24/7 telephone helpline for counselling and provides a range of wellbeing and health promotion workshops. EAP also delivers reflective sessions which are a proactive mental ill health preventative intervention. The sessions focus on the impact of traumatic events at work, helping employees to develop coping strategies and preventing an adverse impact on their professional and private life.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
5th Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the total cost was of procuring, fitting, and monitoring alcohol tags in each of the last three years.

Financial records allow us to provide the direct contractual costs of alcohol monitoring which include the cost of the tag purchases and system monitoring but do not distinguish between case type for Electronic Monitoring in terms of tag installation or physical monitoring and therefore the table below excludes these costs for the three years. Costs also exclude probation and other criminal justice system partners’ resource supporting EM in the community.

As a result of our record investment in electronic monitoring, we are tagging more offenders than ever before. The technology is playing a significant role in the Government’s mission to take back our streets from alcohol-fuelled harm, which the National Audit Office estimate costs the UK economy £21 billion a year. Evidence is increasingly proving the effectiveness of tags, with offenders banned from drinking alcohol staying sober for 97% of the days they were tagged.

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

(Actual)

(Actual)

(Actual)

Procurement and System Monitoring of Alcohol Monitoring tags

£8.1m

£12.5m

£15.2m

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
2nd Jan 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many emergency visa extensions has his department applied for HMPPS staff since 1 November 2025.

The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip