Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on the level of uptake amongst (a) shipowners and (b) maritime training providers of Support for Maritime Training funding to train apprentice (i) deck and (ii) engineering ratings in the special circumstances set out in the MCA's document entitled MIN 707 (M): UK STCW Merchant Rating Training, Skills, Progression and Funding Availability, published on 11 April 2025.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We have regular discussions with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on a range of issues.
The Department monitors progress on the level of uptake amongst shipowners or maritime training providers of Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) funding for the training of apprentice deck and engineering ratings through the Ratings Review Group, which is chaired by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for employment tribunals.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
We recognise the significant pressure facing Employment Tribunals (ET) and are taking action to increase capacity, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times.
The ET was funded to sit for 32,590 days in 2026/27. The ET also operates a ‘Virtual Region’ allowing more cases to be heard remotely and matching available judicial resource to workload. The expectation is that this will reduce waiting times in geographical areas with particularly high waiting times (such as London and the South East). Alongside this, the ET has delegated more powers to Legal Officers to enable them to carry out functions of a judicial nature.
The Ministry of Justice and the Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade have set up the Dispute Resolution System Taskforce to support the Government in considering options to reform the employment dispute system so it works better for both workers and businesses. This Taskforce consists of unions, businesses, legal representatives and third sector organisations.
The introduction of the Fair Work Agency (FWA) is expected to take demand out of the ET. The FWA is responsible for enforcing domestic agency rules, the National Minimum Wage, licensing standards for gangmasters, and acting against serious labour exploitation. In time, it will also enforce additional rights, such as holiday pay and statutory sick pay.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of employment tribunal waiting times on workers pursuing claims relating to discrimination.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Department is currently conducting an Access to Justice assessment of the Employment Tribunal which will include exploration of whether there are disproportionate waiting times experienced by those with protected characteristics. We expect to publish this by the end of March 2027.
We recognise that prolonged waiting times can be challenging for all ET users and remain committed to ensuring the Employment Tribunal is fair, lawful, and accessible to all users. We are taking action to increase capacity, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times, including through maximising sitting days and recruiting more employment judges.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions her Department has had with NHS England and NHS Supply Chain on ensuring access to wigs suitable for Afro-textured hair and breast prostheses across a range of skin tones.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support access to appropriate wigs and breast prostheses for people undergoing cancer treatment.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate access to wigs and breast prostheses across NHS trusts and integrated care boards.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that forthcoming NHS procurement frameworks for wigs and breast prostheses meet the needs of Black and global majority cancer patients.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 11 November 2025 in response to Question 87401, and on 28 November 2025 in response to Question 92755.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, What assessment he has made of geographical variation in the use of Alcohol Treatment Requirements, Drug Rehabilitation Requirements and Mental Health Treatment Requirements by court area.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) as well as NHS England, to maximise the impact of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTRs), targeting support where it can have the greatest impact, particularly for offenders with multiple needs who we know have the greatest risk of reoffending. This includes improving pathways and addressing geographical variation where this is not due to differences in population and local need. Officials from the Ministry of Justice and DHSC come together with wider departments at the Treatment and Recovery Steering Group to oversee our cross-government approach, including delivery of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements.
The Sentencing Council produces sentencing guidelines for judges and magistrates, including the Imposition of community and custodial sentences guideline, which provides guidance on the use of CSTRs, including the circumstances in which they may be appropriate.
Appropriate referrals rely on screening, support from NHS Liaison and Diversion services and effective Pre-sentence Reports (PSRs). The Probation Service provides pre-sentence reports assessing an offender's risks and needs, alongside an independent recommendation on the sentence options available, including consideration of the suitability of community sentence requirements, to support the independent judiciary in deciding the appropriate sentence. A range of measures have been taken by the Department to improve the quality, timeliness and efficiency of PSRs and related advice to court including through the Prepare a Case for Sentence (PACFS) and Verification reports. Compliance with community sentences is overseen by probation, taking enforcement action where appropriate.
The attached Excel tables provide figures for Alcohol Treatment Requirements, Drug Rehabilitation Requirements, and Mental Health Treatment Requirements commenced under community orders and suspended sentence orders in 2024 and 2025, broken down by individual magistrates’ court and Crown Court in England and Wales.
The Ministry of Justice has published an impact evaluation of being sentenced to a community sentence treatment requirement (CSTR) on proven reoffending. The report can be found here: Impact of being sentenced with a community sentence treatment requirement (CSTR) on proven reoffending - GOV.UK
The following information requested could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost:
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of all community orders imposed in each magistrates' court and Crown Court included an Alcohol Treatment Requirement, a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement, or a Mental Health Treatment Requirement in each of the last five years.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) as well as NHS England, to maximise the impact of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTRs), targeting support where it can have the greatest impact, particularly for offenders with multiple needs who we know have the greatest risk of reoffending. This includes improving pathways and addressing geographical variation where this is not due to differences in population and local need. Officials from the Ministry of Justice and DHSC come together with wider departments at the Treatment and Recovery Steering Group to oversee our cross-government approach, including delivery of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements.
The Sentencing Council produces sentencing guidelines for judges and magistrates, including the Imposition of community and custodial sentences guideline, which provides guidance on the use of CSTRs, including the circumstances in which they may be appropriate.
Appropriate referrals rely on screening, support from NHS Liaison and Diversion services and effective Pre-sentence Reports (PSRs). The Probation Service provides pre-sentence reports assessing an offender's risks and needs, alongside an independent recommendation on the sentence options available, including consideration of the suitability of community sentence requirements, to support the independent judiciary in deciding the appropriate sentence. A range of measures have been taken by the Department to improve the quality, timeliness and efficiency of PSRs and related advice to court including through the Prepare a Case for Sentence (PACFS) and Verification reports. Compliance with community sentences is overseen by probation, taking enforcement action where appropriate.
The attached Excel tables provide figures for Alcohol Treatment Requirements, Drug Rehabilitation Requirements, and Mental Health Treatment Requirements commenced under community orders and suspended sentence orders in 2024 and 2025, broken down by individual magistrates’ court and Crown Court in England and Wales.
The Ministry of Justice has published an impact evaluation of being sentenced to a community sentence treatment requirement (CSTR) on proven reoffending. The report can be found here: Impact of being sentenced with a community sentence treatment requirement (CSTR) on proven reoffending - GOV.UK
The following information requested could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost:
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Alcohol Treatment Requirements, Drug Rehabilitation Requirements, and Mental Health Treatment Requirements were imposed as part of community orders and suspended sentence orders in each magistrates' court and Crown Court in England and Wales in each of the last five years.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) as well as NHS England, to maximise the impact of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTRs), targeting support where it can have the greatest impact, particularly for offenders with multiple needs who we know have the greatest risk of reoffending. This includes improving pathways and addressing geographical variation where this is not due to differences in population and local need. Officials from the Ministry of Justice and DHSC come together with wider departments at the Treatment and Recovery Steering Group to oversee our cross-government approach, including delivery of Community Sentence Treatment Requirements.
The Sentencing Council produces sentencing guidelines for judges and magistrates, including the Imposition of community and custodial sentences guideline, which provides guidance on the use of CSTRs, including the circumstances in which they may be appropriate.
Appropriate referrals rely on screening, support from NHS Liaison and Diversion services and effective Pre-sentence Reports (PSRs). The Probation Service provides pre-sentence reports assessing an offender's risks and needs, alongside an independent recommendation on the sentence options available, including consideration of the suitability of community sentence requirements, to support the independent judiciary in deciding the appropriate sentence. A range of measures have been taken by the Department to improve the quality, timeliness and efficiency of PSRs and related advice to court including through the Prepare a Case for Sentence (PACFS) and Verification reports. Compliance with community sentences is overseen by probation, taking enforcement action where appropriate.
The attached Excel tables provide figures for Alcohol Treatment Requirements, Drug Rehabilitation Requirements, and Mental Health Treatment Requirements commenced under community orders and suspended sentence orders in 2024 and 2025, broken down by individual magistrates’ court and Crown Court in England and Wales.
The Ministry of Justice has published an impact evaluation of being sentenced to a community sentence treatment requirement (CSTR) on proven reoffending. The report can be found here: Impact of being sentenced with a community sentence treatment requirement (CSTR) on proven reoffending - GOV.UK
The following information requested could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost: