Lord Keen of Elie Portrait

Lord Keen of Elie

Conservative - Life peer

Became Member: 8th June 2015

Shadow Minister (Justice)

(since September 2024)

Shadow Advocate-General for Scotland

(since November 2024)

Lord Keen of Elie is not an officer of any APPGs Lord Keen of Elie is not a member of any APPGs
1 Former APPG Officer Position
Lyme Disease
Constitution Committee
31st Jan 2023 - 30th Jan 2025
Common Frameworks Scrutiny Committee
22nd Jul 2021 - 31st Dec 2023
Advocate General for Scotland
11th Jun 2015 - 16th Sep 2020
Lords Spokesperson (Ministry of Justice)
18th Jul 2016 - 16th Sep 2020
Sentencing (Pre-consolidation Amendments) Bill [HL] Special Public Bill Committee
20th Jun 2019 - 23rd Jul 2019
Lords Spokesperson (Home Office)
1st Apr 2016 - 18th Jul 2016


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Keen of Elie has voted in 50 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Lord Keen of Elie Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (Labour)
(20 debate interactions)
Lord Timpson (Labour)
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
(10 debate interactions)
Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames (Liberal Democrat)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Justice)
(3 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Ministry of Justice
(27 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(11 debate contributions)
Attorney General
(1 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Lord Keen of Elie's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Keen of Elie, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


4 Bills introduced by Lord Keen of Elie

Introduced: 27th February 2020

A Bill to implement the Hague Conventions of 1996, 2005 and 2007 and to provide for the implementation of other international agreements on private international law.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 14th December 2020 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 7th January 2020

A bill to make in relation to marriage and civil partnership in England and Wales provision about divorce, dissolution and separation; and for connected purposes

This Bill received Royal Assent on 25th June 2020 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 5th March 2020

A Bill to consolidate certain enactments relating to sentencing.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 22nd October 2020 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 21st January 2020

A bill to give effect to Law Commission recommendations relating to commencement of enactments relating to sentencing law and to make provision for pre-consolidation amendments of sentencing law

This Bill received Royal Assent on 8th June 2020 and was enacted into law.

Lord Keen of Elie has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 12 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
10th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made regarding their pilot for the voluntary chemical castration of sex offenders, and whether they will provide a timeline for its implementation.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what research they have conducted into countries which have a policy of chemical castration for sex offenders ahead of the proposed trial in the United Kingdom.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what possible risk factors they have identified in the implementation of chemical castration for sex offenders, and what plans they have to mitigate against these risks when implementing the policy.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in assessing the risks and benefits of chemical castration for sex offenders.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Sep 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what preparations they have made to make chemical castration mandatory for certain serious sexual offenders, and by what date will the policy be introduced.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
3rd Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of prisoners released early under the prisoner early release scheme have been recalled to custody due to breaches of their licence conditions.

Data on SDS40 recalls forms a subset of data intended for future publication via the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly).

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
3rd Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish (1) the names of all prisons participating in the prisoner early release scheme; and (2) the number of prisoners released from each institution.

On 07 November, the Ministry of Justice published transparency data on how many offenders were released on the first days of Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 of SDS40 (1,889 prisoners on the first day of Tranche 1, and 1,223 prisoners on the first day of Tranche 2).

SDS40 is a legal requirement that applies to all prison institutions. Data on prison releases forms a subset of prison population data which is intended for future publication. In accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, we may not give any early indication of the contents of this statistical report.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
3rd Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many prisoners have been released early under the prisoner early release scheme since its introduction, broken down by offence category.

On 07 November, the Ministry of Justice published transparency data on how many offenders were released on the first days of Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 of SDS40 (1,889 prisoners on the first day of Tranche 1, and 1,223 prisoners on the first day of Tranche 2).

SDS40 is a legal requirement that applies to all prison institutions. Data on prison releases forms a subset of prison population data which is intended for future publication. In accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, we may not give any early indication of the contents of this statistical report.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
3rd Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what consultation took place with victims' groups before implementing the prisoner early release scheme; and what steps they have taken to address concerns raised by victims' groups.

Following our inheritance from the previous Government, we were forced to introduce SDS40 as an emergency measure to prevent the imminent collapse of the Criminal Justice System.

Unlike the previous Government’s disastrous early release scheme, this Government ensured that probation had time to complete pre-release work and risk assessments. We also exempted a number of offences, including sex offences, violent offences with over 4 year sentences and specific offences often linked to domestic abuse.

The implementation of SDS40 was considered at a victim support sector roundtable, and then subsequently through meetings with a sector engagement group, which includes a broad range of victims’ groups and representatives. To address the concerns raised about the amount of information available to victims about the measure and its practicalities, we published an explanation of the policy on GOV.UK and provided victim support organisations with frequently asked questions and answers to support them when engaging with victims who may be affected by the measure.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
3rd Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the prisoner early release scheme on reoffending rates; and what measures are in place to monitor released offenders.

Our initial operational insights suggested there was not a significant change to the use and application of recall since the implementation of SDS40. We will, however, continue to monitor this.

The number of people who have been recalled or have reoffended following release under the early release measure (SDS40) forms a subset of prison releases data which is scheduled for future publication. In accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, we may not give any early indication of the contents of this statistical report.

Proven reoffending rates are published regularly on an annual and quarterly basis. The most recent rates are available at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/collections/proven-reoffending-statistics.

SDS40 brings forward normal release with licence conditions and offenders released under this measure are managed by probation in the standard way.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
3rd Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what impact the prisoner early release scheme has had on the availability of prison places; and what assessment they have made of alternative measures to address prison overcrowding.

Following the inheritance left by the previous Government, in July 2024, the Lord Chancellor was forced to introduce the SDS40 scheme to avoid imminent gridlock across the Criminal Justice System.

We have already published data for day one of Tranches 1 and 2 on 7 November 2024 on the numbers of prisoners released and are considering how routinely publishing SDS40 data best fits with our regular Accredited Official Statistics.

When this Government came into office, we were dangerously close to prisons overflowing. That would have meant police would have had to stop arresting and we would have face a complete breakdown in law and order.

Whilst the SDS change provided the intended immediate relief to the system, this was never expected to be a long-term solution. To ensure we are never in a position where we run out of prison places again, the Lord Chancellor announced the Independent Review into Sentencing, alongside a series of prison capacity measures. This included reforming our recall practices to target the unsustainable growth in the recall population since the pandemic and an extension of the maximum period offenders can spend on Home Detention Curfew from 6 – 12 months.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)