Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rebecca Paul and Shabana Mahmood

Tuesday 3rd June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Shabana Mahmood]

I hope that my hon. Friend heard the earlier answer on the unduly lenient sentence scheme and the review by the Law Commission, but if he writes to me with the specifics of that case, I will make sure that we look into it.

[Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)]

As of 1 May this year, there were seven biological males in HMP Downview, a women’s prison in my constituency. Can the Secretary of State confirm when they will be moved out?

[Shabana Mahmood]

The hon. Lady will be aware that those seven biological males are on E wing, which is a transgender-only facility. We will review the recent Supreme Court ruling and make sure that we are compliant in everything we do going forward. We have inherited a policy that we supported in opposition. It was a strong act by the last Government, but we will build on that following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rebecca Paul and Shabana Mahmood

Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)]

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

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Shabana Mahmood)]

The last Government left our prisons in crisis. We came within days of running out of space entirely, and the emergency release programme was designed to stop that crisis happening. Numbers are rising again, which is why this Government are committed to building 14,000 prison places by 2031, compared with the 500 that the last Conservative Government added in 14 years, and to reforming sentencing so that we never run out of prison places again.

[Rebecca Paul]

Last month, the Prisons Minister said that the longest time that an early-released prisoner had been left to wander the streets without an electronic tag was 53 days. However, just over a week ago, it was reported that prisoners have not been tagged for up to 78 days. Can the Secretary of State please clarify this apparent inconsistency?

[Shabana Mahmood]

We were transparent with the House about the problems with tagging during the second tranche of emergency releases last year. I will ensure that we publish the correct information, and I can write to the hon. Lady with the exact figures, but we have been holding Serco to account, because its performance on its contract has been unacceptable. We have levied fines, and we have said that all options are on the table for any further action that we might need to take.