Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to repurpose prisons in the female estate to house male prisoners.

On 1 September, we announced a package of criminal justice reforms intended to maintain sustainable prison capacity while protecting the public and victims. As part of that package, the Government set out its ambition to reduce the number of women in prison where it is safe and appropriate to do so. Repurposing a women’s prison requires reducing demand for places.

Women make up just a small proportion of those in custody – in June 2026, women comprised 4% of the prison population – yet they often have more complex needs than men. Many have experienced mental ill-health, substance misuse, trauma and abuse. Many women in prison are mothers and their imprisonment can have significant consequences for their children.

We are exploring options to reduce the number of pregnant women and mothers of young children in custody alongside taking forward a cross-government agenda of reform to address the drivers of women’s offending.