Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether there are any other live legal cases of prisoners challenging their detention in a Close Supervision Centre or Separation Centre.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
I refer the right honourable Member to the answer I gave on 11 December to Question 97787.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) murderers and (b) prisoners with a history of attacking prison officers are in open prisons for which the latest data is available.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
As of 30 September 2025, there were 266 prisoners with an index offence of murder in prisons whose predominant function is open in England and Wales.
Information on the number of prisoners in the open estate with a history of attacking prison officers could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
The decision to categorise a prisoner at Category D, indicating suitability to be placed in open conditions, involves a thorough risk assessment that takes into account the prisoner’s individual circumstances, including the nature of the offence and any risk they present to the public. In the case of a prisoner serving a sentence of imprisonment for life, or for public protection, the assessment takes account of advice from the independent Parole Board.
Note: The figure has been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what dates he has officially visited HMP Chelmsford since his appointment; and whether he has met with the Governor to discuss the recent mistaken release.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Deputy Prime Minister met with the Governor of HMP Chelmsford on 24 October, the same day as the release in error of Hadush Kebatu. The Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending is planning to visit HMP Chelmsford in the coming months.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what dates he has officially visited HMP Wandsworth since his appointment; and whether he has met with the Governor to discuss the recent mistaken release.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending is planning to visit HMP Wandsworth in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the proposed removal of the right to trial by jury for offences carrying a maximum sentence of less than three years will apply retrospectively to defendants who have already entered a plea of not guilty and elected for jury trial.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Ministers will introduce detailed proposals to Parliament as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many transgender prisoners with convictions for (a) sexual and (b) violent offences are housed within the general female prison estate; and how many of those prisoners have been granted a Ministerial exemption to remain there in the last 12 months.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
As of 1 December, there were no transgender women, including individuals with Gender Recognition Certificates, in the general women's prison estate with any convictions for sexual offences and five or fewer transgender women with convictions for violent offences. (Where statistics include a total of five or fewer, the exact figure is not given, for data protection reasons.)
The individuals with convictions for violent offences received Ministerial exemptions to be held in the general women's estate under the previous Government. No exemptions have been provided by this Government since it came into power.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any offenders currently detained in (a) separation and (b) close supervision centres are challenging their detention.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
There are no ongoing judicial review challenges made with regards to separation centres and no ongoing challenges that have reached the courts with regards to close supervision centres.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reasons Jonathan Hall KC’s review into Separation Centres has not yet been published; and when he plans to publish that review.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Government is carefully considering the recommendations made by Jonathan Hall KC and will publish his report in due course.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to visit HMP Wandsworth.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Ministers regularly visit prisons across the country. Any plans to visit specific prisons will be notified to the relevant Members of Parliament in advance.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on the construction of new Crown Court courtrooms with full jury facilities in the last year.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
In the last full financial year (2024/25), the Department has spent £3,131,757 on property projects that include creating new jury enabled Crown courtrooms. Some of these courtrooms are flexible use and can be used for multiple purposes. This figure includes all property costs, such as design and development, as well as construction costs.