HMP Downview: Female Prisoners

Debate between Alex Davies-Jones and Rebecca Paul

Monday 24th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Alex Davies-Jones]

My hon. Friend is right, and I hope to put on record some clarity and facts this evening, rather than just fuelling misinformation.

The current policy, which was brought in by the previous Government, is that no transgender woman charged with, or convicted of, either a sexual or a violent offence or who retains birth genitalia can be held in the general women’s estate, unless an exception is granted by a Minister. I would like to state this evening that no such exemptions have been granted under this Government.

[Rebecca Paul]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I have just been accused of misinformation, and I want to make the point that the information and data I cited was obtained through written parliamentary questions. I can provide that data, so it is not misinformation; it is information that has come from the Ministry of Justice.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

Minister, you may want to clarify that remark.

[Alex Davies-Jones]

I will happily clarify it. I was not accusing the hon. Lady of misinformation; I was saying that there is a lot of misinformation out there regarding this issue, and that it is important that I put on record the facts of the case, which is what I am doing.

I want to reassert my last point: no exemptions have been granted under this Government. Exemptions that allow transgender women to be housed in the general women’s estate are recommended only when there is a compelling reason, such as a suicide or self-harm risk, or a risk to the prisoner from others, and where a specially trained multidisciplinary panel has carried out a comprehensive risk assessment that concludes that it has a high level of confidence that the prisoner poses a low risk to other prisoners. Again, though, no such exemption has been granted under this Government.

[Rebecca Paul]

The Minister mentions risk assessments. The independent monitoring board report seems to suggest that no such risk assessments have been provided. Can she put on the record that those risk assessments for every single biological male in HMP Downview are on file somewhere, and that she is comfortable that they exist?

[Alex Davies-Jones]

I will ensure that the Minister responsible writes to the hon. Lady to inform her of that. In terms of managing the risk posed to biological women, these policies have been a success. There have been zero assaults and zero sexual assaults committed by transgender women in the women’s estate since 2019. To answer her point, there have been zero assaults.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Davies-Jones and Rebecca Paul

Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Alex Davies-Jones]

As I have stated, the child’s welfare must be the court’s paramount consideration. The presumption of parental involvement states that a court should

“presume, unless the contrary is shown, that involvement of that parent in the life of the child will further the child’s welfare.”

I take this opportunity to state, however, that that applies only if the parent does not put the child at risk of harm. We will publish our review of the presumption in due course.

[Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)]

14. What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the standard determinate sentences 40% early release scheme.