Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to employer national insurance contributions on the financial sustainability of the prison and probation service.

The settlement agreed for Ministry of Justice through Phase 1 of the Spending Review provides funding of £13.8 billion in 2025-26. The settlement is an increase of £1.3 billion compared to 2023-24 and ensures an above inflation pay rise for prison and probation staff, helping with recruitment and retention, whilst meeting demand increases across prisons, courts and probation.

The impact of the rise in employer National Insurance Contribution for 2025/26 on public sector organisations is being met by public funds, independently of the investment to be allocated to HM Prison and Probation Service by the Ministry of Justice.