Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using (a) anti-drone technologies and (b) Radio Frequency Effector technology in prisons.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the use of drones delivering contraband into prisons.

The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 authorises the use of counter-drone technology and enables the police to stop and search anyone suspected of committing drone-related offences.

HMPPS uses a variety of countermeasures and intelligence tools to stop drones delivering contraband such as drugs, mobile phones and weapons. Owing to operational sensitives, we are not able to discuss in detail the tactics used by HMPPS to disrupt drones, as that would aid serious and organised criminals.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the document entitled The number of prison places built and closed (2010-2024), published on 25 October 2024, if she will publish the number of prison places lost as a result of (a) prison closures, (b) dilapidation and (c) other changes to capacity between 1 May 2010 and 30 April 2024, broken down by region.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

As set out in the quoted document in October 2024, the previous Government only managed to increase prison capacity by c.500 places between May 2010 and April 2024. A regional breakdown of the number of prison places removed during this period has been provided as an Excel document alongside this response. The ‘other’ category in the table includes all other changes to operational capacity such as places temporarily out of use for maintenance.

Last year, this Government announced plans to build 14,000 places by 2031 as part of our 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy. We have already started the 700-place expansion at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk earlier this month, and a new houseblock providing nearly 460 places at HMP Rye Hill in Northamptonshire recently received its first prisoners. We are also opening HMP Millsike in the coming weeks, which will hold nearly 1,500 prisoners.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Magistrates Courts were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The table below shows the number of Magistrates’ Courts that were permanently closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed.

There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns.

HMCTS does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Crown Courts were (a) partially and (b) fully closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The table below shows the number of Crown Courts that were permanently closed between 1 May 2010 and 1 July 2024, broken down by region. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed.

There are multiple situations that can require a court to be closed to the public for a temporary period of time. Reasons include, but are not limited to, severe weather disruption, building issues and disrepair, loss of utilities, and in response to security concerns.

HMCTS does not hold central data covering all temporary closures.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to identify young people at risk of homelessness and provide them with appropriate support.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness levels are far too high and this can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people. We will look at these issues carefully and will consider youth homelessness as we develop our long-term, cross-government strategy working with Mayors and councils across the country, to get us back on track to ending homelessness.

As announced at the Budget in October, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26.

The £200 million Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP) is delivering up to 2,000 homes and accompanying support services for people with long or cyclical histories of sleeping rough.  Of these, up to 650 homes will be specifically for young people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough, alongside accompanying support services.

Local authorities are expected to have regard to the homelessness code of guidance when exercising their functions relating to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, which includes young people.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Magistrate trials were (a) ineffective and (b) postponed between 1 May 2010 and 30 June 2024, broken down by region.

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

Magistrates’ courts trial effectiveness data including ineffective and vacated trials by region are published routinely as part of the Accredited Official Statistics series Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly.

This Government is determined to support the judiciary to drive down the ineffective trial rate and further work is needed to do this. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Phase 2 of the review will consider the efficiency and timeliness of processes of the criminal courts through charge to conviction/acquittal.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Crown Court trials were (a) ineffective and (b) postponed between 1 May 2010 and 30 June 2024, broken down by region.

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

Crown Court trial effectiveness data including ineffective and vacated trials by region are published routinely as part of the Accredited Official Statistics series Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly. The latest published series covers 2016 to 2024, and the data from 2010-2016 is available from a previous edition (Jan-Mar 2019).

This Government is determined to support the judiciary to drive down the ineffective trial rate. Since 2023, trends have been improving in relation to cases which have been prioritised by judges (for example, serious sexual offences) as well as more generally. Whilst the proportion of ineffective trials in the Crown Court has reduced slightly in recent years, in 2024 it was still at 25%.

We welcome this progress, but further work is needed to reduce ineffective trials. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. Phase 2 of the review will consider the efficiency and timeliness of processes of the criminal courts through charge to conviction/acquittal.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help young people move on from supported housing.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Supported housing can play an important role for young people transitioning into independent living, particularly where they have no or limited family support, including those leaving care. It can help them to build emotional wellbeing, skills and confidence and to develop their independence ready for move on.

The Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme supports young people who are rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness into longer term supported accommodation. Once in their new home, support is provided by specialist staff to access the help they need, such as support for mental health and substance abuse problems, and support to help them into independent living as appropriate.

The Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, a consolidated rough sleeping fund aimed at tackling rough sleeping, is providing a total of £185.6 million to local authorities across England in 2025-26. Local and combined authorities have the flexibility to use the funding to provide rough sleeping services driven by local need, including to support move on.

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