Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the number of people that died of natural courses in prison while serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in 2024.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The total number of prisoners who died of natural causes1,2 whilst in custody3,4 whilst serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection, January 2024 to December 2024, England and Wales.
| Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 |
Total | 12 |
It is right that IPP sentences were abolished in 2012. The Government is committed to working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure the appropriate course of action is taken to support those still serving IPP sentences.
Data Sources and Quality
Deaths figures are derived from the HMPPS Deaths in Prison Custody database. As classification of deaths may change following inquest or as new information emerges, numbers may change from time to time.
(1) Apparent cause is based on the HMPPS classification of deaths in prison custody
(2) Figures for deaths during previous years may change due to late notifications and changes in classification following an inquest, which may not be concluded for several years after the death, so it is likely that numbers in some categories will be revised once classifications have been finalised. Prisoner information can occasionally be updated after death when improved data becomes available
(3) Figures include incidents during contracted out escorts
(4) 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.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help reduce rail fares.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are committed to reforming the overcomplicated fares system with a view to simplifying it. While it is our ambition, through public ownership, to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.
This year's 4.6 per cent increase will be the lowest absolute increase in three years and will support the Government's long-term plan to achieve financial sustainability of the railway.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason has the Department's Decision Maker's Guide downgraded Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit applications for asbestos (PD1 pneumoconiosis) and asbestos-related pleural thickening (PD9) to non-urgent.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Guidance on how the law is interpreted for DWP decision makers is contained in the Decision Makers' Guide (DMG). The DMG is also published on GOV.UK.
In December 2024, the DMG - Volume 11, Chapter 67 - was updated to remove references to ‘urgent processing criteria’ for some Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) prescribed diseases. This included: D1 (pneumoconiosis), D9 (unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening) and D12 (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – COPD). This is because ‘urgent processing criteria’ is not set out in IIDB legislation for these conditions. Urgent processing for these conditions is an internal operational procedure only, therefore these references should not have been included in the DMG.
Removing references to urgent processing in the DMG has had no impact on IIDB processing instructions. Claims for D1, D9 and D12 continue to be processed urgently and there are no plans for any future changes to this process. IIDB operational guidance continues to specify that:
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment has he made of the impact of social media use on children's well-being.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In November 2024 DSIT announced a feasibility study to further understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children.
The study will review existing evidence on the topic and assess which research methods will be most effective in determining the causal effect of social media and smartphones on children’s developmental outcomes. The study will conclude in May 2025.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to support the installation of rooftop solar panels.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Accelerating deployment of rooftop solar panels is key to the Government’s Clean Energy mission.
New building standards will be introduced to ensure that all newly built houses and commercial buildings are fit for a net zero future. These standards are expected to encourage the installation of solar panels. A call for evidence about solar canopies in car parks will be published shortly. The Solar Roadmap will also contain further recommendations for industry and government to support the increased installation of rooftop solar panels.
Details of other relevant policies, including the Warm Homes Plan and the work of Great British Energy, will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to require the inclusion of information on animal welfare standards on food labels.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tamworth Sarah Edwards on 03 February, PQ 27505.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people took their own life in prison while serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection sentence in 2024.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There were four self-inflicted deaths of those serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in 2024. This information can be found in Table 1.7 of the 'Safety in custody: quarterly update to September 2024’.
Self-inflicted deaths are any deaths of a person who has apparently taken his or her own life irrespective of intent. This not only includes suicides but also accidental deaths as a result of the person’s own actions.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the case of Gaie Delap.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Offenders released on home detention curfew (HDC) are still serving the custodial element of their sentence and it is a statutory requirement that the curfew is electronically monitored for at least 9 hours a day. In cases where it is not possible to electronically monitor offenders in the community, like Gaie Delap, they will be recalled until it is possible for them to be monitored in the community.
Where there are limitations in the technology and devices available, Ministry of Justice staff continue to work with suppliers to develop innovations and solutions in both technology and processes to expand the use of Electronic Monitoring, and this includes developing a wider range of strap sizes.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of further limits on donations to political parties from billionaires.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN HL3289 on 20 December 2024.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce the prevalence of food deserts in deprived areas, (b) improve access to affordable, healthy food and (c) address the affordability gap between healthy and unhealthy options.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Within six months of taking office, the Government has begun action to improve the food environment and ensure that healthier food is available, affordable, and accessible for all, irrespective of where you live.
This includes publishing the revised National Planning Policy Framework for local government, giving local authorities the stronger, clearer powers they have told us they need to block new fast-food outlets near schools and where young people congregate. We have also met our commitment to lay the secondary legislation to restrict junk food advertising to children.
Furthermore, the Government has committed to the roll out of free breakfast clubs at all primary schools, and we already have schemes to support those on low incomes such as Healthy Start, reaching over 354,000 vulnerable people.
The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to develop a Child Poverty Strategy, which will be published in spring, exploring all available levers to drive forward actions across Government to reduce child poverty.
The Department of Health and Social Care will also work in close collaboration on the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs led cross-Government food strategy, which will outline actions to support the food system to provide more easily accessible, healthy food to tackle obesity, helping to give children the best start in life and helping adults to live longer, healthier lives.