Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Improving Outcomes for Women in the Criminal Justice System, what the projected costs and timeframe are for delivering the 500 new prison places for women.

We are consulting with the market, so our current project cost estimate is commercially sensitive until that process has concluded.

Given the likely timeframes for planning and construction, we expect the first women to be in the new facilities in early 2025.