Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for young people who lack mental capacity.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, the law requires parents or guardians to have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf about their financial assets or property. This longstanding safeguard helps protect vulnerable people from potential financial abuse, and applies to funds held in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA.

On 9 June 2023, the Ministry of Justice published the “Making Financial Decisions For Young People: Parent and Carer Toolkit”. This explains how parents and guardians of disabled children who lack capacity can obtain legal authority where none is in place, including applying to the Court of Protection to access funds in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA. The toolkit is available on GOV.UK, along with guidance on completing the necessary court forms: How to apply to make property and finance decisions on someone’s behalf (including Child Trust Funds) - GOV.UK

We understand that concerns remain. The Ministry of Justice continues to engage with key stakeholders to better understand the challenges and identify potential improvements in a way that balances access with safeguards.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken for family court cases.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

This Government is committed to improving the performance of the Family Courts, and the Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide priorities and targets for reducing delay across England and Wales. The latest published data shows a reduction in the national average case duration for both public and private law cases.

In London, which has particular challenges around Family Court delays, a dedicated Family Justice Strategy has been implemented, bringing together key partners and the judiciary. This work has included targeted investment over 2025/26 to tackle the outstanding private law caseload by providing additional court capacity and a focus on ensuring that courts follow the Public Law Outline, with clear arrangements for overseeing performance. These measures have already delivered a reduction in delays.

Child Focused Courts for private law now operate in 10 of 43 family court areas and seek to enhance the experience of children and families. They have additionally demonstrated significant impact on timeliness. Cases are concluding between 11-30 weeks quicker on average under the model and outstanding caseloads have been reduced by up to 50%. The Government announced on 17 March its intention to roll this model out nationally by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Public Office (Accountability) Bill will explicitly apply to all universities.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The duty of candour and assistance will apply to any body when exercising public functions. This would capture some aspects of the work of universities and other Higher Education Institutions. The duty also extends to those with a relevant health and safety responsibility; as well as relevant public sector contractors.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help ensure that prison staffing levels are sufficient to maintain security.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Effective prison security is a prerequisite for the safe and stable regimes required to promote prisoner rehabilitation, and sufficient levels of skilled frontline staff are fundamental to delivering secure and rehabilitative prison regimes. Against a challenging labour market, we have recruitment campaigns at all prisons where there are current or projected needs, and provide enhanced support to the prisons in the most challenging parts of the estate. HMPPS offers several routes to become a prison officer, including:

• A ‘Prison Officer Alumni’ scheme, which encourages former officers to return to the Service, bringing back their previous experience.
• Advance into Justice scheme, which helps Armed Forces leavers, veterans, and their spouses into Prison Officer roles.
• First Deployment: new recruits will apply to a national campaign and will be allocated to a ‘home’ prison but will be deployed to a different site for the first 23 months of service, with additional financial incentives.
• The Operational Support Grades to prison officer fast-track scheme, giving individuals the chance to use their previous experience in prisons and take the next step in their career through a streamlined process.

To help improve Prison Officer retention, HMPPS has created a retention strategy which is linked to wider activities around employee experience, employee lifecycle and staff engagement at work. As of December 2025, the resignation rate for Band 3-5 Prison Officers was the lowest it has been in the last four years.

We have specialist staff and equipment to stop the smuggling of contraband in prisons – such as drugs, weapons and mobile phones – which can fuel violence and create instability.

We remain committed to ensuring prisons are sufficiently resourced and that we retain and build levels of experience, both of which are fundamental to delivering quality outcomes in prisons.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of marriages between uncle and niece legally contracted overseas by people now residing in England and Wales.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Ministry of Justice does not collect data on overseas marriages.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has paid for followers on social media platforms it uses.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Ministry of Justice has not paid for followers on its social media platforms.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve rehabilitation programs in prisons.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) has a unique opportunity, across prisons, probation and the Youth Custody Service, to help people turn their lives around. To do this successfully, it is important to ensure that the best conditions are created and the right services for rehabilitation provided.

Fundamental to the rehabilitation offer is a supportive and rehabilitative organisational culture, coupled with positive support from skilled pro-social staff. We know from the evidence that this is likely to be the best approach to support those who are at lower risk to desist from future offending. Others, particularly those at a higher risk of re-offending, will need more. HMPPS is committed to ensuring that the right approach is adopted in relation to each individual.

Rehabilitation services take many forms, ranging from accredited programmes and interventions that are aimed at giving people skills to change their attitudes, thinking and behaviour, to enabling a person to access education, healthcare, substance misuse support, suitable accommodation, and the means to earn a living pro-socially. Some rehabilitative activity is delivered in-house, and some via partner organisations. HMPPS keeps its work under constant review to ensure it is acting in accordance with the available evidence. It is committed to the ongoing development, monitoring, evaluation and review of accredited programmes in line with the aims of reducing re-offending and protecting the public.

To help achieve this, HMPPS has implemented the Next Generation of Accredited Programmes change programme and rolled out the new Building Choices accredited programme, realising significant benefits in terms of staff training and development, programme assessment, evaluation, and quality assurance processes. In addition, HMPPS is deploying a range of resources and training courses as part of the Enable Programme, which is designed to build skills and boost confidence in front-line prison colleagues. Topics covered include security, safety, leadership, procedural justice, defensible decision making, incident management and relational practice.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has considered the potential merits of extending the range of offences that can be considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme is an exceptional power. It includes all indictable-only offences (e.g. murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery) and certain triable-either way offences sentenced in the Crown Court (e.g. threats to kill, stalking, most child sex offences).

Parliament intended this to be an exceptional power, and any expansion of the scheme must be carefully considered. While we understand calls for expansion, it is important for both victims and offenders that there is finality in sentencing. The general rule is that a person should expect to serve the sentence a judge has imposed upon them.

The Law Commission is undertaking a review of criminal appeals and it held a public consultation inviting views on a range of reforms to the ULS scheme, including offences in scope. The consultation closed on 27 June 2025 and the Law Commission is expected to publish its report in 2026.

The Government will carefully and holistically consider the Law Commission review’s final recommendations on the wider reforms to the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have access to faith-based support services.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

All prisoners in England and Wales have access to faith-based and pastoral support services. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service is required to make chaplaincy and faith provision available to prisoners of all faiths and beliefs, as well as to those who do not identify with a particular faith. This support is available on request in every establishment.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison inmates have had illicit relationships with prison officers in each year since 2010, broken down by offence group.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The table below shows the number of prisoners in the last six years recorded as being involved in proven cases where a member of prison staff has been convicted of Misconduct in Public Office.

No data is held for years prior to 2020.

An inappropriate relationship is defined as any relationship that compromises a staff member’s ability to perform their duties appropriately.

Where officers fall below our high standards, we do not hesitate to take robust action. We are catching more of the minority who break the rules with our Counter Corruption Unit and stronger vetting.

The figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate has his department made of the size of the (a) youth custody population, (b) youth secure estate for the next five years.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

During the last 12 months, the population of the youth secure estate has varied in the range 440 to 510. Work on future projections is in hand, but owing to the small numbers involved and consequent volatility, there are difficulties in generating robust figures.

Later this year, we will set out our plans for wider reforms to youth custody, to deliver better outcomes for children, communities and taxpayers. This will include consideration of the future shape and configuration of the youth secure estate.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential risk to public safety posed by prisoners who escape custody and remain at large for over 30 days.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Public protection is our top priority. The number of escapes from prison establishments and prisoner escorts is very low. If a prisoner escapes or absconds, the police are immediately notified and are responsible for locating the offender.

Those who escape or abscond face serious consequences including, in the case of absconders, being returned to closed prison conditions, where they may serve up to two additional years. Escapees face an additional sentence of imprisonment for which there is no statutory maximum term. Prisoners whose release is subject to a decision of the Parole Board are likely to spend a longer period in custody before the Board will agree to their release.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps is he taking to improve the safety of officers in the Youth Custody Service.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Unacceptable levels of violence faced by Youth Justice Workers (i.e. officers) in young offender institutions were part of the wider difficulties across the criminal justice system that this Government has had to address. Making PAVA spray available in young offender institutions, subject to strict controls, was necessary to keep both staff and young people in custody safe. Each use of PAVA spray is reviewed by an independent panel and reported to Ministers for further scrutiny. H M Prison & Probation Service, as well as external organisations, are continuing to exercise very close scrutiny of any use of PAVA spray.

The Youth Custody Service’s Framework for Integrated Care, known as ‘SECURE STAIRS’, which is delivered in partnership with the Department for Health and Social Care, and includes improvements in areas such as conflict resolution and specialist psychological interventions, is integral to improving safety within the youth estate. The Youth Custody Service has also developed roadmaps to effective practice which focus on outcomes in areas such as safety, behaviour management support and education.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding has been allocated to the Youth Custody Service for the next five years.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As budget allocation across the Department is agreed annually, it is not possible to provide the information requested.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many stab vests have been issued to prison officers since 5 July 2024, broken down by individual prison.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Following a serious incident at HMP Frankland in April 2025, the Department acted quickly to review the use of protective body armour (PBA) across the estate. As a result, we have introduced a significant expansion in provision, with PBA now mandated for staff working in the highest-risk areas of the long-term high security estate, including Close Supervision Centres, Separation Centres and Segregation Units.

This builds on existing use in high-risk operational contexts such as planned use of force and national tactical deployments. Our approach is risk-based and evidence-led, ensuring that protective equipment is prioritised for those staff facing the greatest threat, while remaining practical and effective in operational environments.

We are committed to delivering the Deputy Prime Minister's pledge to equip up to 10,000 staff with PBA. As of 26 March, we have issued protective body armour to 514 named staff members and 264 spare sets for cross deployment. Information about the provision of PBA broken down by prison is shown in the table below.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many weapons have been confiscated by prison officers since 5 July 2024, broken down by individual prison.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As data on the distinct number of weapons confiscated is not held centrally, the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Statistics on the number of incidents of weapon finds in prison, which could include multiple weapons per incident, are, however, published. Information on finds of contraband, including weapons, are included as part of the HMPPS Annual Digest. The ‘Finds in Prison – Incidents Data Tool’ can be used to show the number of incidents of weapon finds by prison broken down by calendar month. The most recent release includes data to March 2025. The next publication will also include the period April 2025 to March 2026.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmpps-annual-digest-april-2024-to-march-2025

Prisons in England and Wales have a range of specialist staff and equipment to tackle the smuggling of drugs, mobile phones, weapons and other contraband into prisons. This includes X-ray body scanners, airport-style Enhanced Gate Security, X-ray baggage scanners, detection dogs, and other specialist equipment to alert staff to the potential presence of drugs on a range of items and materials

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of meat served in prisons has been (a) halal and (b) kosher in each year since 2020, broken down by individual prison.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As this data is not held centrally the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Food in Prison Policy Framework requires that prisoners are provided with meals that meet an individual’s religious, cultural, and medical dietary needs. Prisons provide a multi-choice, pre-select menu for the lunchtime or evening meal which must reflect the diverse needs of the establishment’s population. When a Halal meat or poultry menu choice is offered, an alternative meat or poultry choice which is not Halal must be provided at the same meal.

All prisons across England and Wales provide prisoners with a choice of at least five meal options at both lunch and the evening meal. As a minimum, these options include: one meat dish, one vegan dish, one vegetarian dish, one Halal dish, and one additional alternative option.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many religious chaplaincies have permitted the Islamic Human Rights Commission to send religious materials to prisons in England and Wales.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Decisions on whether any external materials may be provided are taken by individual establishments. They are subject to governor approval, national policy on faith and pastoral care, security requirements, and extremism safeguards. All proposed materials are assessed by chaplaincy teams in conjunction with prison security staff, including scrutiny against the Inappropriate Materials Guidance and oversight by Prevent Leads and Chaplaincy headquarters, and may be refused or withdrawn where concerns arise.

HMPPS chaplaincy teams do not request or use materials from the Islamic Human Rights Commission in prisons.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will list the organisations authorised to send religious and welfare packs to prisons in England and Wales for (a) Ramadan and (b) Eid.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Decisions on whether any external materials may be provided are taken by individual establishments. They are subject to governor approval, national policy on faith and pastoral care, security requirements, and extremism safeguards. All proposed materials are assessed by chaplaincy teams in conjunction with prison security staff, including scrutiny against the Inappropriate Materials Guidance and oversight by Prevent Leads and Chaplaincy headquarters, and may be refused or withdrawn where concerns arise.

HMPPS chaplaincy teams do not request or use materials from the Islamic Human Rights Commission in prisons.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in which probation regions is the Domestic Abuse Perpetrators on Licence pilot currently live.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Domestic Abuse Perpetrators on Licence (DAPOL) pilot is currently live in eight probation regions: East Midlands; West Midlands; London; Kent, Surrey and Sussex; East of England; South West; South Central; and Wales.

The Electronic Monitoring for Acquisitive Crime (AC) scheme is currently live in the following 19 police force areas in England and Wales: Avon and Somerset, Bedfordshire, Cheshire, City of London, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, Essex, Gloucestershire, Gwent, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Kent, the Metropolitan Police area, North Wales, Nottinghamshire, Sussex and West Midlands.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in which police force areas is the Acquisitive Crime scheme currently live.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Domestic Abuse Perpetrators on Licence (DAPOL) pilot is currently live in eight probation regions: East Midlands; West Midlands; London; Kent, Surrey and Sussex; East of England; South West; South Central; and Wales.

The Electronic Monitoring for Acquisitive Crime (AC) scheme is currently live in the following 19 police force areas in England and Wales: Avon and Somerset, Bedfordshire, Cheshire, City of London, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, Essex, Gloucestershire, Gwent, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Kent, the Metropolitan Police area, North Wales, Nottinghamshire, Sussex and West Midlands.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an his estimate of the potential reduction in the (a) cost to the public purse and (b) court workloads of increasing the adoption of community-based rehabilitation in the treatment of alcohol and substance use and addiction reducing recidivism rates.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We are committed to diverting vulnerable offenders with substance misuse needs away from prison or out of the criminal justice system altogether where appropriate. Many people who have committed low-level offences can be managed more effectively in the community, with the right treatment and support to tackle the health-related causes of their offending behaviour, than on short custodial sentences. Public Health England analysis shows that drug treatment reflects a return on investment of £4 for every £1 invested. Offenders completing treatment for drugs or alcohol were also 19 percentage points less likely to reoffend than those that dropped out of treatment.

An evaluation of the impact of being sentenced with a community sentence treatment requirement (CSTR) on proven reoffending was published in 2024 and found that for people who reoffended those sentenced to a drug rehabilitation requirement (DRR) and alcohol treatment requirement (ATR) had fewer reoffences compared to those who received a short custodial sentence.

Our Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), which divert offenders with complex needs, including substance misuse, away from short custodial sentences into rehabilitative community sentences, are undergoing full evaluation scheduled for completion in 2028. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of ISCs on reducing reoffending and their value for money. Published process evaluation findings show early promising signs, whereby some offenders reported reduced substance use and willingness to avoid reoffending.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the probation service to manage increased caseload.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Probation Service continues to face capacity and workload pressures. The Probation Service uses the Workload Measurement Tool alongside other management information to support local and national oversight of workloads. This tool indicates the caseload per officer, which is one indicator of pressure, but it does not on its own provide a complete picture of probation capacity, as it does not take account of the complexity, risk level or intensity of individual cases, all of which have a significant impact on workload.

The Government recognises the pressures created by increased demand and has taken steps to strengthen probation capacity, including sustained recruitment of probation officers, action to improve retention, the prioritisation of resources towards the highest risk cases, and reducing workloads through the Our Future Probation Service (OFPS) programme, which aims to reduce workloads by 25% by April 2027. Together, these measures are intended to help ensure the Probation Service can continue to protect the public while managing increased caseload pressures safely and effectively.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the gap between projected prison demand and planned prison capacity.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

On 29 January 2026, we published our second annual statement on prison capacity, which sets out the projected prison demand and planned prison capacity up to November 2032: Ministry of Justice – Annual Statement on Prison Capacity: 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) implement the findings of the Civil Justice Council's Review of Litigation Funding (2 June 2025), and (2) legislate in response to R (PACCAR Inc and Others) v. Competition Appeal Tribunal [2023] UKSC 28, and by when.

Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

As announced on 17 December 2025, the Government intends to accept the two key recommendations of the Civil Justice Council’s (CJC) review:

We will legislate to mitigate the effects of the PACCAR judgment by clarifying that Litigation Funding Agreements are not Damages-Based Agreements and will introduce proportionate regulation of Litigation Funding Agreements.

We intend to legislate to implement these changes when parliamentary time allows. Once this work has been completed, we will consider the CJC’s remaining recommendations in more detail.

We recognise the importance of maintaining access to justice, whilst avoiding issues stemming from speculative or unmeritorious claims. The new regulations will take a balanced and holistic approach; this involves appropriate consideration of the position of claimants and defendants and the courts, as well as the legal and litigation funding sectors.

The regulations will complement existing safeguards preventing speculative and disproportionate litigation, such as the power, provided in Part 3 of the Civil Procedure Rules, for the court to dismiss any claim which has no reasonable grounds.

The Government is confident that the CJC has appropriately reviewed litigation funding and thus we have not found it necessary to make our own formal assessment of the potential impact of third-party funded collective actions on court capacity, judicial workload, or case duration. We also do not hold data relating to the costs to the public sector of third-party funded collective actions.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increased third-party funded collective actions on (1) court capacity, (2) judicial workload, and (3) case duration.

Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

As announced on 17 December 2025, the Government intends to accept the two key recommendations of the Civil Justice Council’s (CJC) review:

We will legislate to mitigate the effects of the PACCAR judgment by clarifying that Litigation Funding Agreements are not Damages-Based Agreements and will introduce proportionate regulation of Litigation Funding Agreements.

We intend to legislate to implement these changes when parliamentary time allows. Once this work has been completed, we will consider the CJC’s remaining recommendations in more detail.

We recognise the importance of maintaining access to justice, whilst avoiding issues stemming from speculative or unmeritorious claims. The new regulations will take a balanced and holistic approach; this involves appropriate consideration of the position of claimants and defendants and the courts, as well as the legal and litigation funding sectors.

The regulations will complement existing safeguards preventing speculative and disproportionate litigation, such as the power, provided in Part 3 of the Civil Procedure Rules, for the court to dismiss any claim which has no reasonable grounds.

The Government is confident that the CJC has appropriately reviewed litigation funding and thus we have not found it necessary to make our own formal assessment of the potential impact of third-party funded collective actions on court capacity, judicial workload, or case duration. We also do not hold data relating to the costs to the public sector of third-party funded collective actions.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish data on the total costs of third-party funded collective actions to the public sector.

Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

As announced on 17 December 2025, the Government intends to accept the two key recommendations of the Civil Justice Council’s (CJC) review:

We will legislate to mitigate the effects of the PACCAR judgment by clarifying that Litigation Funding Agreements are not Damages-Based Agreements and will introduce proportionate regulation of Litigation Funding Agreements.

We intend to legislate to implement these changes when parliamentary time allows. Once this work has been completed, we will consider the CJC’s remaining recommendations in more detail.

We recognise the importance of maintaining access to justice, whilst avoiding issues stemming from speculative or unmeritorious claims. The new regulations will take a balanced and holistic approach; this involves appropriate consideration of the position of claimants and defendants and the courts, as well as the legal and litigation funding sectors.

The regulations will complement existing safeguards preventing speculative and disproportionate litigation, such as the power, provided in Part 3 of the Civil Procedure Rules, for the court to dismiss any claim which has no reasonable grounds.

The Government is confident that the CJC has appropriately reviewed litigation funding and thus we have not found it necessary to make our own formal assessment of the potential impact of third-party funded collective actions on court capacity, judicial workload, or case duration. We also do not hold data relating to the costs to the public sector of third-party funded collective actions.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps what they are taking to ensure that any policy they have on litigation funding does not lead to any inappropriate use of court time or resources.

Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

As announced on 17 December 2025, the Government intends to accept the two key recommendations of the Civil Justice Council’s (CJC) review:

We will legislate to mitigate the effects of the PACCAR judgment by clarifying that Litigation Funding Agreements are not Damages-Based Agreements and will introduce proportionate regulation of Litigation Funding Agreements.

We intend to legislate to implement these changes when parliamentary time allows. Once this work has been completed, we will consider the CJC’s remaining recommendations in more detail.

We recognise the importance of maintaining access to justice, whilst avoiding issues stemming from speculative or unmeritorious claims. The new regulations will take a balanced and holistic approach; this involves appropriate consideration of the position of claimants and defendants and the courts, as well as the legal and litigation funding sectors.

The regulations will complement existing safeguards preventing speculative and disproportionate litigation, such as the power, provided in Part 3 of the Civil Procedure Rules, for the court to dismiss any claim which has no reasonable grounds.

The Government is confident that the CJC has appropriately reviewed litigation funding and thus we have not found it necessary to make our own formal assessment of the potential impact of third-party funded collective actions on court capacity, judicial workload, or case duration. We also do not hold data relating to the costs to the public sector of third-party funded collective actions.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of (1) sentencing guidelines, and (2) penalties, for offences related to waste crime and illegal waste disposal.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council, in fulfilment of its statutory duty to do so. The Council has issued guidelines on environmental offences for individuals and organisations which capture offences involving the unauthorised or harmful deposit, treatment or disposal of waste as well as illegal discharges to air, land and water. The guidelines are designed to increase consistency and transparency in sentencing for these offences.

In 2024, following consultation, the Council updated the guideline for individuals to provide for greater use of community orders (over fines) across the sentence tables included within the guideline, in recognition of the seriousness of this offending. Further information is available on the Council’s website: https://sentencingcouncil.org.uk/guidelines/crown-court/

The Government is clear, penalties for waste crime must match the harm it causes. The Ministry of Justice will work closely with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs following the recent publication of the Waste Crime Action Plan to explore what more can be done to further ensure that those who commit these types of offences are appropriately punished. This would aim to reinforce the effectiveness of current systems and strengthen our overall approach to tackling illegal behaviour.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 24 March (HL Deb col 1357), what data they hold on the caseload of the First-tier Tribunal regarding rent appeals specifically; and what plans they have to make it publicly accessible.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Currently, HM Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS) publishes quarterly data on the Residential Property Chamber. The latest data is attached but can also be found via the following link: Tribunals statistics quarterly: January to March 2025 - GOV.UK.

HMCTS is reviewing the data captured, drawn and published from the supporting systems for the Tribunal as part of preparations for the Renters’ Rights Act.

Remove the time limit that is required to file any lawsuit that is related to medical negligence for long-term damage.

We want courts to be able to order those convicted of killing a parent through drink driving, drug driving, dangerous driving or hit-and-run offences to pay ongoing financial support for the child. This could be known as "Butler’s Law".

In our view, prosecutors too often rely on visible injury or direct financial control when considering whether the evidential threshold has been met in domestic abuse cases. We therefore ask for a review of the statutory guidance on the evidential threshold in domestic abuse cases.

Currently, it's possible for court summons to be issued, and for bailiffs to be sent to collect amounts which we feel are minor. Sometimes the cost of the court proceedings can outweigh the original charge. I want all court and bailiff proceedings for debts under £500 to be prohibited.

We call on Government to review and make it easier for victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence to appeal 'not guilty' verdicts when significant new evidence emerges or procedural failures occurred.

Found: MoJ estimates that the economic and social cost of reoffending across adult offenders is around £20.9

Found: MoJ estimates that the economic and social cost of reoffending across adult offenders is around £20.9

Found: MoJ estimates that the economic and social cost of reoffending across adult offenders is around £20.9

Found: MoJ estimates that the economic and social cost of reoffending across adult offenders is around £20.9

Found: MoJ estimates that the economic and social cost of reoffending across adult offenders is around £20.9

Found: MoJ estimates that the economic and social cost of reoffending across adult offenders is around £20.9

Found: Ministry of Justice follow up: Autumn 2025 Introduction from the Committee MoJ is responsible

Found: Ministry of Justice follow up: Autumn 2025 Introduction from the Committee MoJ is responsible

Found: Ministry of Justice follow up: Autumn 2025 Introduction from the Committee MoJ is responsible

Found: Ministry of Justice follow up: Autumn 2025 Introduction from the Committee MoJ is responsible

Found: Ministry of Justice follow up: Autumn 2025 Introduction from the Committee MoJ is responsible

Found: Justice and Home Affairs Committee House of Lords London, SW1A 0PW Dear Don, MoJ

Found: T +4420 3334 3555 F +44870 761 7753 E https://contact-moj.service.justice.gov.uk/ www.gov.uk/moj

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support is in place to help (1) victims of technology-facilitated abuse, and (2) the police, to secure evidence of victims' past reporting of such abuse from the relevant technology companies.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is investing £550 million over the next three years for victim and witness support services.

The 42 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales receive annual grant funding from the Ministry of Justice’s victim and witness budget to commission local support services for victims of all crimes, including victims of technology-facilitated abuse. PCCs allocate funding for victim services at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.

In addition, the Ministry of Justice provides Victim Support with grant funding to deliver a 24/7 Live Chat and My Support Space service, providing free online support to victims across England and Wales.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the outcomes of the ministerial round table on achieving gender equality and the empowerment of older women at the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Equalities Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith led the UK delegation at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), alongside UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls Harriet Harman, HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh and Ministry of Justice Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones.

We were pleased to host an event during CSW in partnership with Age International, which highlighted the voices, experiences and specific needs of older women in relation to violence against women and girls. We were regrettably unable to be represented at the Ministerial Roundtable on Older Women due to other commitments during CSW, but we look forward to the chair's summary and will carefully consider any agreed findings and actions in our domestic and international work.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what contributions their delegation made to promoting the rights of older women at the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Equalities Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith led the UK delegation at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), alongside UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls Harriet Harman, HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh and Ministry of Justice Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones.

We were pleased to host an event during CSW in partnership with Age International, which highlighted the voices, experiences and specific needs of older women in relation to violence against women and girls. We were regrettably unable to be represented at the Ministerial Roundtable on Older Women due to other commitments during CSW, but we look forward to the chair's summary and will carefully consider any agreed findings and actions in our domestic and international work.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the UK was represented at the ministerial round table of the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women; and if not, why not.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Equalities Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith led the UK delegation at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), alongside UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls Harriet Harman, HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh and Ministry of Justice Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones.

We were pleased to host an event during CSW in partnership with Age International, which highlighted the voices, experiences and specific needs of older women in relation to violence against women and girls. We were regrettably unable to be represented at the Ministerial Roundtable on Older Women due to other commitments during CSW, but we look forward to the chair's summary and will carefully consider any agreed findings and actions in our domestic and international work.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Levitt on 2 March (HL Dec col 1066), what milestones they have established for the joint departmental team tasked with developing the delivery plan for online and offline pornography parity to ensure that the plan is published within six months of the Crime and Policing Bill receiving Royal Assent.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises that there is a clear and urgent need for greater parity between the treatment of harmful pornography online and offline. Following Baroness Bertin’s independent review, a joint team, formed by the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Justice, and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will examine the evidence to inform the Government’s approach to pornography policy, including consideration of how best to achieve parity between online and offline pornography. This evidence will include the effectiveness of existing regulatory regimes, such as the on-demand programme services regulatory framework. The Government has committed to publishing a delivery plan within six months of the Crime and Policing Bill receiving Royal Assent, and further information regarding the delivery plan will be set out in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Levitt on 2 March (HL Deb col 1066), what assessment they have made of the existing regulatory framework for on-demand programme services as a model to deliver regulatory parity between online and offline pornography.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises that there is a clear and urgent need for greater parity between the treatment of harmful pornography online and offline. Following Baroness Bertin’s independent review, a joint team, formed by the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Justice, and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will examine the evidence to inform the Government’s approach to pornography policy, including consideration of how best to achieve parity between online and offline pornography. This evidence will include the effectiveness of existing regulatory regimes, such as the on-demand programme services regulatory framework. The Government has committed to publishing a delivery plan within six months of the Crime and Policing Bill receiving Royal Assent, and further information regarding the delivery plan will be set out in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the costs associated with legal processes required to access Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to enable disabled young people to access funds held in Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs when they turn 18.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to simplify the process for families seeking access to Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults

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