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

Shabana Mahmood
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)
Josh Babarinde (LD - Eastbourne)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Justice)

Conservative
Robert Jenrick (Con - Newark)
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
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Alex Davies-Jones (Lab - Pontypridd)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Nicholas Dakin (Lab - Scunthorpe)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Monday 19th May 2025
Select Committee Docs
Friday 16th May 2025
12:00
Select Committee Inquiry
Tuesday 17th December 2024
Tackling drugs in prisons: supply, demand and treatment

The Justice Committee has launched an inquiry that will examine the scale and impact of drugs in prisons in England …

Written Answers
Tuesday 20th May 2025
Ministry of Justice: Translation Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation …
Secondary Legislation
Friday 9th May 2025
Tribunal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2025
These Rules amend the tribunal procedure rules that apply in the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, to expressly provide that …
Bills
Wednesday 7th May 2025
Victims and Courts Bill 2024-26
A Bill to Make provision about the experience of victims within the criminal justice system; about the functions of the …
Dept. Publications
Tuesday 20th May 2025
09:00

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
Apr. 22
Oral Questions
May. 15
Urgent Questions
May. 14
Written Statements
Apr. 29
Westminster Hall
May. 15
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

Ministry of Justice has not passed any Acts during the 2024 Parliament

Ministry of Justice - Secondary Legislation

These Rules amend the tribunal procedure rules that apply in the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, to expressly provide that the power to set-aside a decision of a tribunal which disposes of proceedings can be exercised by the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal, either on the application of a party or on the tribunals’ own initiative. These amendments are made to clarify the tribunals’ power to set-aside, following the decision of the Upper Tribunal in MA v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2020] UKUT 172 (AAC).
Section 16(1) of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (“the Act”) provides that the Secretary of State must issue guidance about specified victim support roles. Section 16(3) of the Act sets out that “victim support roles” are roles performed by individuals which involve the provision of support to victims of criminal conduct (where the support relates to that conduct).
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).

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Petitions with most signatures
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Ministry of Justice has not participated in any petition debates
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
Mike Tapp Portrait
Mike Tapp (Labour - Dover and Deal)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 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
Josh Babarinde Portrait
Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Justice Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Matt Bishop Portrait
Matt Bishop (Labour - Forest of Dean)
Justice Committee Member since 17th March 2025
Justice Committee: Upcoming Events
Justice Committee - Private Meeting
21 May 2025, 10 a.m.
View calendar - Save to Calendar
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 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

6th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision of the Supreme Court in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16 on 16 April, what guidance they will issue to (1) the Ministry of Justice, and (2) agencies and public bodies that work with the Ministry of Justice, about updating their policies and written guidance; whether they will consult the organisation Sex Matters in doing so; and whether the revised policies and written guidance will be laid before Parliament.

The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers and Government Departments should note and follow the ruling.

It is important that we ensure dignity and respect for all. Trans people should have access to services they need but in keeping with the ruling.

The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment, including what this means for Government buildings.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
15th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to publish an updated response to the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review.

The Lord Chancellor set out the Government’s plans for reforms to sentencing of domestic homicides in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 6 December 2024 (HCWS286). The Law Commission has accepted our request to undertake a review of the law of homicide and the sentencing framework for murder. Drivers for this review include concerns related to gendered disparities for murders committed in a domestic context. The Terms of Reference and more information on the review can be found on the Law Commission’s website and they will publish a detailed timeline for the project shortly.

We are also taking more immediate action in the short-term by implementing two of the outstanding recommendations in the independent Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review which was undertaken by Clare Wade KC under the last Government. These measures are statutory aggravating factors for murders involving strangulation and those connected with the end of a relationship. We intend to lay a Statutory Instrument to implement these measures when parliamentary time allows and we have recently completed a statutory consultation with the Sentencing Council that must precede this process.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2025 to Question 50011 on HMP/YOI Downview: Transgender People, when the seven male prisoners held at HMP Downview will be moved to the men's prison estate; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure the (a) safety, (b) privacy and (c) dignity of female prisoners held in HMP Downview.

This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous government and have not moved any transgender women into the women’s estate since taking office.

We are reviewing transgender prisoner policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

E Wing prisoners are held separately to other prisoners at HMP Downview. They cannot be given any access to the general women's estate in the prison unless risk-assessed as being safe to do so. If they are given access, this will be directly supervised by staff.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
15th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison spaces are (a) available and (b) projected to be available at HMP Littlehey over the next three years; and what the maximum capacity is at that prison.

The operational capacity of each prison is published monthly at Prison population: monthly prison figures 2025 - GOV.UK. The current operational capacity of Littlehey is 1241, and there are currently no plans to change this.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
6th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision of the Supreme Court in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16 on 16 April, whether they will ask the Victims' Commissioner to report on the implementation of the decision by the Supreme Court in regard to victims within six months.

The Supreme Court ruling has provided clarity for women and service providers that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. The Government is currently considering the implications of the Court’s judgment.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to support male victims of sexual abuse.

Supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse is an absolute priority for this Government. As you will be aware, this Government is faced with an incredibly challenging fiscal environment. Ensuring that the future service landscape meets the needs of different victim groups is important, whilst seeking to ensure we can support as many victims as possible within the current financial situation.

The views of organisations are being considered as we think innovatively about the best way to deliver services for all victims, and shape future service design, in the current fiscal environment. The Victims Minister held a men and boys roundtable on 27 November as part of this process to feed into design considerations of the future service for victims of sexual violence and officials continue to lead extensive market engagement as part of this process.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of grooming gang convictions since 2005 have involved perpetrators born outside the UK.

The Government takes the issue of child sexual exploitation extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring that all perpetrators are brought to justice, regardless of their background.

It is not possible to identify an offender’s place of birth, or whether their offending was part of a grooming gang, from centrally collated convictions data.

The Government is focused on delivering meaningful change for victims impacted by these horrendous crimes and we must do so in a way that is unburdened by cultural sensitivities. This includes legislative reforms to strengthen mandatory reporting as part of our implementation of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommendations. A progress update on this work was published on 8 April 2025.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
6th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government when the interviews for Independent Public Advocate concluded.

The Government is committed to placing victims at the heart of processes that follow a major incident, which is why we are establishing the Independent Public Advocate. We are on track for the successful candidate to take up their position in the Summer.

The public appointment campaign to appoint the Standing Advocate of the IPA was launched on 24 September 2024 and is nearing completion. Interviews concluded on 14 February, and we will announce the preferred candidate shortly.

As this public appointment is made by Ministers and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the recruitment process must comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The candidate will be subject to a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing by the Justice Select Committee.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
6th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government when the name of the successful candidate for the Independent Public Advocate role will be announced.

The Government is committed to placing victims at the heart of processes that follow a major incident, which is why we are establishing the Independent Public Advocate. We are on track for the successful candidate to take up their position in the Summer.

The public appointment campaign to appoint the Standing Advocate of the IPA was launched on 24 September 2024 and is nearing completion. Interviews concluded on 14 February, and we will announce the preferred candidate shortly.

As this public appointment is made by Ministers and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the recruitment process must comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The candidate will be subject to a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing by the Justice Select Committee.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
6th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government when the successful candidate for the Independent Public Advocate role will take up their position.

The Government is committed to placing victims at the heart of processes that follow a major incident, which is why we are establishing the Independent Public Advocate. We are on track for the successful candidate to take up their position in the Summer.

The public appointment campaign to appoint the Standing Advocate of the IPA was launched on 24 September 2024 and is nearing completion. Interviews concluded on 14 February, and we will announce the preferred candidate shortly.

As this public appointment is made by Ministers and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the recruitment process must comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The candidate will be subject to a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing by the Justice Select Committee.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
14th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions she has had with the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman on its planned timetable to publish the report on its special investigation into Medomsley Detention Centre.

I have the deepest sympathy for victims and survivors of abuse suffered at Medomsley Detention Centre. The previous Government, after years of campaigning by victims and survivors, commissioned the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) in October 2023 to undertake a thorough review of the abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre between 1961 and 1987. The investigation commenced in November 2023 and looked into what the authorities knew about the abuse over this period, if there were opportunities for them to take action or intervene, and what action they took.

The PPO has now concluded the evidence-gathering phase of the investigation, and we expect the PPO to publish the final report later this year.

I continue to be grateful to the PPO for their expertise and independence in conducting a rigorous investigation and I hope this will help us to understand how such horrific events were able to take place.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how Serco performed against key performance indicators at the most recent performance review on the HMP Ashfield (South Gloucestershire) contract.

HM Prison & Probation Service’s Annual Prison Performance Ratings are based on a range of indicators. The latest ratings cover the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. As a newly opened prison (June 2023), HMP Fosse Way did not form part of the latest ratings but will be included in future publications. HMP Ashfield was rated at level 3 (‘Good performance’).

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how Serco performed against the key performance indicators at the most recent performance review on their HMP & YOI Fosse Way (Leicester) contract.

HM Prison & Probation Service’s Annual Prison Performance Ratings are based on a range of indicators. The latest ratings cover the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. As a newly opened prison (June 2023), HMP Fosse Way did not form part of the latest ratings but will be included in future publications. HMP Ashfield was rated at level 3 (‘Good performance’).

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that spent convictions are not considered once spent.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (the ROA) sets out when an offender is considered to be ‘rehabilitated’ for the purposes of the Act and sets out the relevant rehabilitation periods for cautions and convictions, i.e. when a caution or conviction becomes ‘spent’. Where an offender is rehabilitated for the purposes of the ROA, the ROA provides that they are entitled to withhold the fact of, or information about their spent cautions or convictions. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exceptions) order 1975 creates exceptions with the effect that in some circumstances, spent as well as unspent cautions and convictions must be disclosed and may be taken into account when assessing a person’s suitability for certain positions. This balances the protection of the public with allowing ex-offenders to move on with their lives. We are carefully assessing the evidence in this space before considering whether adjustments to the regime are necessary.

An individual can check if a conviction or caution is spent or unspent via the GOV.UK Disclosure Checker: Check if you need to tell someone about your criminal record: Check if your conviction or caution is spent - GOV.UK. We provide information, advice and guidance for employers, landlords and other entities on how they should implement the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA). This can be found on The GOV.UK guidance on the ROA. The guidance is clear that balanced judgements should be made and factors such as the person’s age at the time of the offence, the nature of the offence, how long ago the offence was committed, its relevance to the application or post in question, and what else is known about the persons conduct should be considered. We also provide good practice resources on hiring prison leavers via the New Futures Network. If an employer is unsure what check can be requested, they can contact the Disclosure and Barring Service.

As part of the Government's plan to Make Work Pay, the Employment Rights Bill is repealing the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection. By making this a ‘day one’ right, millions of employees will have protection against being arbitrarily fired by their employer. The Government is taking steps to support those with criminal convictions. Employees with spent convictions will be able claim unfair dismissal from day one (excluding those roles covered by the Exceptions Order). Reforms of unfair dismissal will take effect no sooner than autumn 2026.

Organisations in the UK that process personal data must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Oversight and enforcement of these data protection laws are carried out independently of the government by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Under these laws, individuals have several rights concerning their personal data, including the right to request its erasure - commonly referred to as the ‘right to be forgotten’. The ICO, as the UK’s independent data protection regulator, provides comprehensive guidance on its website.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that organisations do not discriminate against people with spent convictions.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (the ROA) sets out when an offender is considered to be ‘rehabilitated’ for the purposes of the Act and sets out the relevant rehabilitation periods for cautions and convictions, i.e. when a caution or conviction becomes ‘spent’. Where an offender is rehabilitated for the purposes of the ROA, the ROA provides that they are entitled to withhold the fact of, or information about their spent cautions or convictions. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exceptions) order 1975 creates exceptions with the effect that in some circumstances, spent as well as unspent cautions and convictions must be disclosed and may be taken into account when assessing a person’s suitability for certain positions. This balances the protection of the public with allowing ex-offenders to move on with their lives. We are carefully assessing the evidence in this space before considering whether adjustments to the regime are necessary.

An individual can check if a conviction or caution is spent or unspent via the GOV.UK Disclosure Checker: Check if you need to tell someone about your criminal record: Check if your conviction or caution is spent - GOV.UK. We provide information, advice and guidance for employers, landlords and other entities on how they should implement the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA). This can be found on The GOV.UK guidance on the ROA. The guidance is clear that balanced judgements should be made and factors such as the person’s age at the time of the offence, the nature of the offence, how long ago the offence was committed, its relevance to the application or post in question, and what else is known about the persons conduct should be considered. We also provide good practice resources on hiring prison leavers via the New Futures Network. If an employer is unsure what check can be requested, they can contact the Disclosure and Barring Service.

As part of the Government's plan to Make Work Pay, the Employment Rights Bill is repealing the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection. By making this a ‘day one’ right, millions of employees will have protection against being arbitrarily fired by their employer. The Government is taking steps to support those with criminal convictions. Employees with spent convictions will be able claim unfair dismissal from day one (excluding those roles covered by the Exceptions Order). Reforms of unfair dismissal will take effect no sooner than autumn 2026.

Organisations in the UK that process personal data must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Oversight and enforcement of these data protection laws are carried out independently of the government by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Under these laws, individuals have several rights concerning their personal data, including the right to request its erasure - commonly referred to as the ‘right to be forgotten’. The ICO, as the UK’s independent data protection regulator, provides comprehensive guidance on its website.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (the ROA) sets out when an offender is considered to be ‘rehabilitated’ for the purposes of the Act and sets out the relevant rehabilitation periods for cautions and convictions, i.e. when a caution or conviction becomes ‘spent’. Where an offender is rehabilitated for the purposes of the ROA, the ROA provides that they are entitled to withhold the fact of, or information about their spent cautions or convictions. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exceptions) order 1975 creates exceptions with the effect that in some circumstances, spent as well as unspent cautions and convictions must be disclosed and may be taken into account when assessing a person’s suitability for certain positions. This balances the protection of the public with allowing ex-offenders to move on with their lives. We are carefully assessing the evidence in this space before considering whether adjustments to the regime are necessary.

An individual can check if a conviction or caution is spent or unspent via the GOV.UK Disclosure Checker: Check if you need to tell someone about your criminal record: Check if your conviction or caution is spent - GOV.UK. We provide information, advice and guidance for employers, landlords and other entities on how they should implement the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA). This can be found on The GOV.UK guidance on the ROA. The guidance is clear that balanced judgements should be made and factors such as the person’s age at the time of the offence, the nature of the offence, how long ago the offence was committed, its relevance to the application or post in question, and what else is known about the persons conduct should be considered. We also provide good practice resources on hiring prison leavers via the New Futures Network. If an employer is unsure what check can be requested, they can contact the Disclosure and Barring Service.

As part of the Government's plan to Make Work Pay, the Employment Rights Bill is repealing the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection. By making this a ‘day one’ right, millions of employees will have protection against being arbitrarily fired by their employer. The Government is taking steps to support those with criminal convictions. Employees with spent convictions will be able claim unfair dismissal from day one (excluding those roles covered by the Exceptions Order). Reforms of unfair dismissal will take effect no sooner than autumn 2026.

Organisations in the UK that process personal data must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Oversight and enforcement of these data protection laws are carried out independently of the government by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Under these laws, individuals have several rights concerning their personal data, including the right to request its erasure - commonly referred to as the ‘right to be forgotten’. The ICO, as the UK’s independent data protection regulator, provides comprehensive guidance on its website.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance her Department provides to (a) employers, (b) landlords and (c) other entities to ensure they properly understand and respect the rights of people with spent convictions.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (the ROA) sets out when an offender is considered to be ‘rehabilitated’ for the purposes of the Act and sets out the relevant rehabilitation periods for cautions and convictions, i.e. when a caution or conviction becomes ‘spent’. Where an offender is rehabilitated for the purposes of the ROA, the ROA provides that they are entitled to withhold the fact of, or information about their spent cautions or convictions. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exceptions) order 1975 creates exceptions with the effect that in some circumstances, spent as well as unspent cautions and convictions must be disclosed and may be taken into account when assessing a person’s suitability for certain positions. This balances the protection of the public with allowing ex-offenders to move on with their lives. We are carefully assessing the evidence in this space before considering whether adjustments to the regime are necessary.

An individual can check if a conviction or caution is spent or unspent via the GOV.UK Disclosure Checker: Check if you need to tell someone about your criminal record: Check if your conviction or caution is spent - GOV.UK. We provide information, advice and guidance for employers, landlords and other entities on how they should implement the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA). This can be found on The GOV.UK guidance on the ROA. The guidance is clear that balanced judgements should be made and factors such as the person’s age at the time of the offence, the nature of the offence, how long ago the offence was committed, its relevance to the application or post in question, and what else is known about the persons conduct should be considered. We also provide good practice resources on hiring prison leavers via the New Futures Network. If an employer is unsure what check can be requested, they can contact the Disclosure and Barring Service.

As part of the Government's plan to Make Work Pay, the Employment Rights Bill is repealing the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection. By making this a ‘day one’ right, millions of employees will have protection against being arbitrarily fired by their employer. The Government is taking steps to support those with criminal convictions. Employees with spent convictions will be able claim unfair dismissal from day one (excluding those roles covered by the Exceptions Order). Reforms of unfair dismissal will take effect no sooner than autumn 2026.

Organisations in the UK that process personal data must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Oversight and enforcement of these data protection laws are carried out independently of the government by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Under these laws, individuals have several rights concerning their personal data, including the right to request its erasure - commonly referred to as the ‘right to be forgotten’. The ICO, as the UK’s independent data protection regulator, provides comprehensive guidance on its website.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans her Department has to strengthen the protection of people with spent convictions, in the context of technological advancements in data sharing.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (the ROA) sets out when an offender is considered to be ‘rehabilitated’ for the purposes of the Act and sets out the relevant rehabilitation periods for cautions and convictions, i.e. when a caution or conviction becomes ‘spent’. Where an offender is rehabilitated for the purposes of the ROA, the ROA provides that they are entitled to withhold the fact of, or information about their spent cautions or convictions. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exceptions) order 1975 creates exceptions with the effect that in some circumstances, spent as well as unspent cautions and convictions must be disclosed and may be taken into account when assessing a person’s suitability for certain positions. This balances the protection of the public with allowing ex-offenders to move on with their lives. We are carefully assessing the evidence in this space before considering whether adjustments to the regime are necessary.

An individual can check if a conviction or caution is spent or unspent via the GOV.UK Disclosure Checker: Check if you need to tell someone about your criminal record: Check if your conviction or caution is spent - GOV.UK. We provide information, advice and guidance for employers, landlords and other entities on how they should implement the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA). This can be found on The GOV.UK guidance on the ROA. The guidance is clear that balanced judgements should be made and factors such as the person’s age at the time of the offence, the nature of the offence, how long ago the offence was committed, its relevance to the application or post in question, and what else is known about the persons conduct should be considered. We also provide good practice resources on hiring prison leavers via the New Futures Network. If an employer is unsure what check can be requested, they can contact the Disclosure and Barring Service.

As part of the Government's plan to Make Work Pay, the Employment Rights Bill is repealing the two-year qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection. By making this a ‘day one’ right, millions of employees will have protection against being arbitrarily fired by their employer. The Government is taking steps to support those with criminal convictions. Employees with spent convictions will be able claim unfair dismissal from day one (excluding those roles covered by the Exceptions Order). Reforms of unfair dismissal will take effect no sooner than autumn 2026.

Organisations in the UK that process personal data must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Oversight and enforcement of these data protection laws are carried out independently of the government by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Under these laws, individuals have several rights concerning their personal data, including the right to request its erasure - commonly referred to as the ‘right to be forgotten’. The ICO, as the UK’s independent data protection regulator, provides comprehensive guidance on its website.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
6th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many gender recognition certificates have been issued in each of the past 10 years.

The table below shows the number of applications received by the Gender Recognition Panel that were granted full Gender Recognition Certificates in the last 10 years.

Table 1: Number of Gender Recognition Certificates granted in full during the complete financial years from 2014/15 to 2023/24

Financial Year

Gender Recognition Panel

2014/15

244

2015/16

329

2016/17

316

2017/18

351

2018/19

323

2019/20

364

2020/21

427

2021/22

495

2022/23

871

2023/24

1,088

Date source: Tribunals statistics quarterly: October to December 2024 - GOV.UK

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how her Department holds records of children with a parent in prison; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of holding this information in (a) a single and (b) multiple databases.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold records of children with a parent in prison. Where professionals are concerned about a child’s welfare, they consider whether a referral to local authority children’s social care is required and should always refer immediately if there is a concern that the child is suffering, or likely to, suffer significant harm (as outlined in the statutory safeguarding guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)).

Recognising that having a parent in prison is considered an adverse childhood experience and can have a significant impact on a child’s life chances, the Government has committed to ensure children impacted by parental imprisonment are identified and offered the support they need.

We are currently working closely with the Department for Education who hold responsibility for children to determine how we effectively identify these children, where to hold this information, and the best way to provide support for both them and their parent in prison.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) making the Enforcement Conduct Board's voluntary accreditation scheme regulations for Bailiffs mandatory and (b) giving the Board the power to authorise or certify agents.

The Government supports the important work undertaken by the Enforcement Conduct Board to ensure that people facing enforcement action are treated fairly. We are actively considering whether further legislation is required to ensure appropriate oversight of enforcement firms and enforcement agents using the Taking Control of Goods procedure.

The Government will set out its approach in due course.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of matured Child Trust Funds that are unclaimed belong to people who lack capacity.

Providers of Child Trust Funds are financial organisations who are independent of government.

As a result, my Department does not hold information on volumes of matured, unclaimed Child Trust Funds belonging to people who lack capacity, or information on the number of providers who have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of providers that have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

Providers of Child Trust Funds are financial organisations who are independent of government.

As a result, my Department does not hold information on volumes of matured, unclaimed Child Trust Funds belonging to people who lack capacity, or information on the number of providers who have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42858 on Child Trust Fund, whether her Department has taken recent steps to (a) update and (b) publicise the guidance entitled Making Financial Decisions for young people: parent and carer toolkit, published on 9 June 2023.

Although the parent and carer toolkit ‘Making Financial Decisions for young people’ is almost two years old, the information it contains is still current.

The Ministry of Justice regularly considers how to publicise the tool kit and raise awareness of the Mental Capacity Act.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision of the Supreme Court in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16, what plans they have to include the biological sex of civil servants in reports about those employed by the Ministry of Justice and its agencies and public bodies.

The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers and Government Departments should note and follow the ruling.

The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment.

The Government publishes annual statistics on the UK Civil Service workforce, including reporting on sex. The statistics can be found here: Statistical bulletin - Civil Service Statistics: 2024 - GOV.UK.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
7th May 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compulsory digital training on domestic abuse introduced for family judges, magistrates, and legal advisers in October 2021; how many individuals have completed the training; how frequently it is delivered or refreshed; and what evaluation has been conducted of its effectiveness in improving outcomes in the family courts.

To preserve judicial independence, statutory responsibility for the training of the courts judiciary in England and Wales is held by the Lady Chief Justice and fulfilled by the Judicial College. It would therefore be constitutionally inappropriate for the Government to undertake assessments of judicial training.

I am aware that the Judicial College launched updated digital training on domestic abuse for all family judges in October 2021 and for magistrates and their legal advisers in November 2021. The judicial training and magistrates and legal adviser training were mandatory.

This was followed in 2022/23 by an intensive one-year programme of mandatory live training for family judges on the harms of domestic abuse, which was also offered to judges in the civil jurisdiction, and intensive mandatory continuation training for family magistrates and legal advisers.

Domestic abuse remains a central part of induction and continuation training for all judges, magistrates and legal advisers who hear family cases. Training is regularly evaluated and reviewed by the Judicial College and updated as appropriate.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the financial impact of the Court of Protection’s Deputyship application process on families of disabled children who lack capacity to access Child Trust Funds.

No such assessment has been undertaken. In many cases, no fee is payable for a court order to access a Child Trust Fund where this is the sole asset.

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, legal authority is required to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This requirement applies to all assets, including Child Trust Funds, and is vital in ensuring that vulnerable people are safeguarded and protected. Guidance on completing the court form when access to a Child Trust Fund is required can be found at How to apply to make property and finance decisions on someone’s behalf (including Child Trust Funds) - GOV.UK.

In February 2023, the Court of Protection introduced an online process to simplify the making of property and affairs applications. This has reduced errors and omissions and reduced administration handling times.

We are considering options for further improving access to matured Child Trust Funds while balancing the need to maintain safeguards which protect the best interests of individuals that lack capacity.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to simplify the Court of Protection’s Deputyship application process for families of disabled children who lack capacity to access Child Trust Funds.

No such assessment has been undertaken. In many cases, no fee is payable for a court order to access a Child Trust Fund where this is the sole asset.

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, legal authority is required to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This requirement applies to all assets, including Child Trust Funds, and is vital in ensuring that vulnerable people are safeguarded and protected. Guidance on completing the court form when access to a Child Trust Fund is required can be found at How to apply to make property and finance decisions on someone’s behalf (including Child Trust Funds) - GOV.UK.

In February 2023, the Court of Protection introduced an online process to simplify the making of property and affairs applications. This has reduced errors and omissions and reduced administration handling times.

We are considering options for further improving access to matured Child Trust Funds while balancing the need to maintain safeguards which protect the best interests of individuals that lack capacity.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many liability orders were (a) sought by local authorities and (b) granted by courts for council tax debt, in each tax year since 2019.

The information requested is not collated or maintained centrally in a manner that could reliably be reported.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to publish the outcome of her Department's review into whether protective body armour should be made available to frontline prison staff.

HM Prison & Probation Service has commissioned an internal review to establish whether it is necessary for our brave and hard-working prison officers to wear Protective Body Armour either routinely or when working in high-risk environments within the prison estate which will report in early June. We will announce the outcome of the review and next steps to be taken following the review’s conclusion.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans to appoint a chair to conduct the independent review of the attack on prison officers at HMP Frankland on 12 April 2025; and when the review will conclude.

On Thursday 15 May, we announced the appointment of Jonathan Hall KC as the reviewer of the HMP Frankland Independent Review. The Lord Chancellor has asked for the review to report back promptly, and to leave no stone unturned so we can prevent such an incident ever happening again.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has received reports of (a) instances where inmates have been physically punished for failing to comply with informal interpretations of Sharia law and (b) other forms of (i) coercive violence and (ii) informal disciplinary practices within prisons.

Extremist gang activity is not tolerated in prisons. Staff act swiftly to clamp down on intimidating or threatening behaviour regardless of cultural or religious sensitivities. Anyone who threatens assaults or attempts to control others faces tough sanctions, including time added on to their sentence. Our message is clear: follow the rules or pay for breaking them.

We do not tolerate any attempts by extremists to coerce others. Where we do identify evidence that this may be happening, we take a zero-tolerance approach. We have robust measures in place to manage offenders and prevent them from radicalising others. This includes specialist staff training, monitoring of communications, and targeted interventions, both in custody and upon release, to prevent the spread of harmful ideologies and reduce reoffending.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has received (a) intelligence and (b) operational reports referencing a group known as the Brotherhood; and whether such reports describe that group as exercising (i) influence and (ii) control over other prisoners.

Extremist gang activity is not tolerated in prisons. Staff act swiftly to clamp down on intimidating or threatening behaviour regardless of cultural or religious sensitivities. Anyone who threatens assaults or attempts to control others faces tough sanctions, including time added on to their sentence. Our message is clear: follow the rules or pay for breaking them.

We do not tolerate any attempts by extremists to coerce others. Where we do identify evidence that this may be happening, we take a zero-tolerance approach. We have robust measures in place to manage offenders and prevent them from radicalising others. This includes specialist staff training, monitoring of communications, and targeted interventions, both in custody and upon release, to prevent the spread of harmful ideologies and reduce reoffending.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has received reports on the operation of informal (a) adjudication mechanisms and (b) dispute resolution systems within prisons based on (i) Sharia and (ii) other (A) religious and (B) ideological codes.

Extremist gang activity is not tolerated in prisons. Staff act swiftly to clamp down on intimidating or threatening behaviour regardless of cultural or religious sensitivities. Anyone who threatens assaults or attempts to control others faces tough sanctions, including time added on to their sentence. Our message is clear: follow the rules or pay for breaking them.

We do not tolerate any attempts by extremists to coerce others. Where we do identify evidence that this may be happening, we take a zero-tolerance approach. We have robust measures in place to manage offenders and prevent them from radicalising others. This includes specialist staff training, monitoring of communications, and targeted interventions, both in custody and upon release, to prevent the spread of harmful ideologies and reduce reoffending.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 50727 on Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority: Standards, what proportion of the respondents to that paper survey selected (a) very good, (b) good, (c) average, (d) poor and (e) very poor in 2023-24.

Of the respondents to the paper survey in 2023-34, (a) 53.2% selected very good, (b) 31.0% selected good, (c) 10.0% selected average, (d) 3.3% poor and (e) 2.5% selected very poor.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Money Claim Online in delivering civil remedies for small claims legal disputes.

Money Claim Online (MCOL) has provided claimants with an electronic means by which to make money claims online since 2002. Including claims made by bulk users, the system handles over 1 million claims per annum.

As part of HMCTS Reform programme, HMCTS has created a new digital service – Online Civil Money Claims (OCMC) – which enables users to issue, respond to and manage a claim digitally, including the ability to settle a claim without court intervention and uploading evidence for hearings. OCMC has been available since 2018 and handles around 120,000 claims per year. The OCMC service was recently evaluated with the findings published and available on the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/modern-justice-for-all-our-online-civil-money-claims-reformed-service-helps-more-people-settle-disputes-away-from-the-courtroom.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of District Judges in hearing civil litigation cases.

I refer the honourable Member to the Department’s evidence to the Justice Select Committee into the work of the County Court, which explained the current capacity for civil cases: Work of the County Court - Committees - UK Parliament.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many barring orders have been made by family courts to prevent a parent from applying for child arrangements orders where (a) rape and (b) domestic abuse have been cited as the reason in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Data on the number of barring orders made in the family courts and on the number of applications made to strip people convicted of rape and other serious crime of their parental responsibility are not held.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications have been made to the courts to strip people convicted of (a) rape and (b) other serious crime of their parental responsibility in each of the last five years.

Data on the number of barring orders made in the family courts and on the number of applications made to strip people convicted of rape and other serious crime of their parental responsibility are not held.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she has taken to suspend the use of kitchen facilities in Separation Centres within prisons.

Access to kitchen facilities in Separation Centres and Close Supervision Centres was immediately suspended following the horrific attack at HMP Frankland on 12 April. A rapid review of access to, and use of, self-cook areas across the prison estate, including special units, is due to report with recommendations in June.

R (De Silva) v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWHC 128 (Admin) concerned an individual placement review decision, rather than general use of Separation Centres. We have continued to refer and place dangerous radicalisers into Separation Centres where they meet the criteria in Rule 46A of the Prison Rules 1999. Our use of Close Supervision Centres, designed to hold the most physically violent and disruptive prisoners, has not been affected.

Specialist counter-terrorism staff undertake regular assessments on the scale and nature of the terrorist threat across HMPPS, including on the radicalisation of inmates by other inmates. Assessments are conducted at establishment level, regional level, and national level to support day-to-day decision making and inform wider strategic priorities.

The Joint Extremism Unit maintains a consolidated list of extremist materials that are banned within the prison estate. This list is shared with relevant teams to ensure these materials are not available to prisoners. Prison Governors also have discretion over additional materials that may not be permitted within their establishments.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact for her policies of the judgement in R (De Silva) v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWHC 128 (Admin) on the ability of prison governors to isolate (a) extremist prisoners and (b) prisoners that present a high-risk to officers.

Access to kitchen facilities in Separation Centres and Close Supervision Centres was immediately suspended following the horrific attack at HMP Frankland on 12 April. A rapid review of access to, and use of, self-cook areas across the prison estate, including special units, is due to report with recommendations in June.

R (De Silva) v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWHC 128 (Admin) concerned an individual placement review decision, rather than general use of Separation Centres. We have continued to refer and place dangerous radicalisers into Separation Centres where they meet the criteria in Rule 46A of the Prison Rules 1999. Our use of Close Supervision Centres, designed to hold the most physically violent and disruptive prisoners, has not been affected.

Specialist counter-terrorism staff undertake regular assessments on the scale and nature of the terrorist threat across HMPPS, including on the radicalisation of inmates by other inmates. Assessments are conducted at establishment level, regional level, and national level to support day-to-day decision making and inform wider strategic priorities.

The Joint Extremism Unit maintains a consolidated list of extremist materials that are banned within the prison estate. This list is shared with relevant teams to ensure these materials are not available to prisoners. Prison Governors also have discretion over additional materials that may not be permitted within their establishments.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has recently assessed the (a) scale and (b) nature of the threat from (i) Islamist and (ii) far-right prisoners radicalising other inmates.

Access to kitchen facilities in Separation Centres and Close Supervision Centres was immediately suspended following the horrific attack at HMP Frankland on 12 April. A rapid review of access to, and use of, self-cook areas across the prison estate, including special units, is due to report with recommendations in June.

R (De Silva) v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWHC 128 (Admin) concerned an individual placement review decision, rather than general use of Separation Centres. We have continued to refer and place dangerous radicalisers into Separation Centres where they meet the criteria in Rule 46A of the Prison Rules 1999. Our use of Close Supervision Centres, designed to hold the most physically violent and disruptive prisoners, has not been affected.

Specialist counter-terrorism staff undertake regular assessments on the scale and nature of the terrorist threat across HMPPS, including on the radicalisation of inmates by other inmates. Assessments are conducted at establishment level, regional level, and national level to support day-to-day decision making and inform wider strategic priorities.

The Joint Extremism Unit maintains a consolidated list of extremist materials that are banned within the prison estate. This list is shared with relevant teams to ensure these materials are not available to prisoners. Prison Governors also have discretion over additional materials that may not be permitted within their establishments.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has issued to prison governors a consolidated list of extremist material banned in prisons.

Access to kitchen facilities in Separation Centres and Close Supervision Centres was immediately suspended following the horrific attack at HMP Frankland on 12 April. A rapid review of access to, and use of, self-cook areas across the prison estate, including special units, is due to report with recommendations in June.

R (De Silva) v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EWHC 128 (Admin) concerned an individual placement review decision, rather than general use of Separation Centres. We have continued to refer and place dangerous radicalisers into Separation Centres where they meet the criteria in Rule 46A of the Prison Rules 1999. Our use of Close Supervision Centres, designed to hold the most physically violent and disruptive prisoners, has not been affected.

Specialist counter-terrorism staff undertake regular assessments on the scale and nature of the terrorist threat across HMPPS, including on the radicalisation of inmates by other inmates. Assessments are conducted at establishment level, regional level, and national level to support day-to-day decision making and inform wider strategic priorities.

The Joint Extremism Unit maintains a consolidated list of extremist materials that are banned within the prison estate. This list is shared with relevant teams to ensure these materials are not available to prisoners. Prison Governors also have discretion over additional materials that may not be permitted within their establishments.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
12th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many a) Separation Centres and b) segregation wings in the prison estate are currently in use; and what is their total available capacity.

There are three separation centres, all within the Long-Term High Security Estate, with a total capacity of 28 prisoner places. Two are currently operational, and the third is available for use when required.

109 segregation wings or units in the prison estate are currently in use, with a capacity of 1,747 places.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision of the Supreme Court in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16 on 16 April, what guidance they will issue to ensure that prisoners of female biological sex are not searched by prisoner officers of male biological sex.

The Supreme Court ruling made it clear that the provision of single-sex spaces is on the basis of biological sex. Providers and Government Departments should note and follow the ruling.

This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous Government and have not moved any transgender women into the women’s estate since taking office.

Following the Supreme Court ruling in the For Women Scotland case, the Lord Chancellor has commissioned a review of transgender prisoner allocation policy.

The Government is considering the implications of the Court’s judgment and policies, including searching in the prison estate, are under review.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many inmate deaths have occurred in HMP Parc in the last two years; and what steps they are taking to ensure the safety of inmates in the prison.

Every death in custody is a tragedy and my thoughts are with the families and friends of the prisoners who have died at Parc.

There were 25 prisoner deaths at HMP Parc between January 2023 and December 2024. This includes 14 deaths by natural causes, 3 that were apparently self-inflicted and 8 other deaths (a category which includes those that were apparently drug-related and those that are currently unexplained)[1].

We are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible. At HMP Parc, we have taken a number of measures to improve safety, including:

  • Increased intelligence gathering.

  • Additional lock down searches and staff training.

  • Making changes to leadership and senior staffing structures.

  • Collaborating with colleagues in the Local Health Board, to provide additional mental health and substance misuse support.

HMP Parc remains focused on improving safety, and this is reflected in the action plan developed in response to the recent report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons which will be published in the coming months.

[1] These figures are derived from the HMPPS Deaths in Prison Custody database. Deaths in prison custody figures include all deaths of prisoners arising from incidents during prison custody. They include deaths of prisoners while released on temporary license (ROTL) for medical reasons, but exclude other types of ROTL where the state has less direct responsibility.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of first-tier SEND tribunal cases lodged in the most recent year for which data is available; and in how many of those cases was the decision made in favour of the appellant.

Information about registered appeals and outcomes to SEND Tribunals is published at: Tribunals statistics quarterly: July to September 2024 - GOV.UK.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
6th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2025 to Question 47976 on Prison: Crimes against the Person, if she will provide a further breakdown by nationality.

The number of individuals involved in incidents of an assault on staff within prisons in England and Wales, by nationality, for 2020 to 2024, can be found in the accompanying table.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
7th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of prisoners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition. NHS England is responsible for healthcare services in prisons in England, including the clinical diagnosis of neurodiverse conditions, and it does not hold this data centrally.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to improving support for neurodivergent people within prisons, including those with ADHD.

Neurodiversity Support Managers have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. These specialist managers provide training and guidance to prison staff, improve processes to identify and support neurodivergent prisoners, and ensure reasonable adjustments are implemented to make prison environments more supportive of neurodiverse needs. Some prisons have also introduced neurodiversity wings or created specific areas which focus on the sensory and mental health requirements for prisoners with complex needs.

The HMPPS Prisoner Education Service will be implementing a new, digitalised Additional Learning Needs tool to be used nationally by Core Education suppliers from October 2025. This tool will identify individual strengths and any additional learning needs, including neurodiversity. It will also suggest practical support strategies and offer guidance relating to potential areas of strength and need.

Nicholas Dakin
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury