Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an estimate of the number of people that died of natural courses in prison while serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in 2024.

The total number of prisoners who died of natural causes^1,2 whilst in custody^3,4 whilst serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection, January 2024 to December 2024, England and Wales.

It is right that IPP sentences were abolished in 2012. The Government is committed to working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure the appropriate course of action is taken to support those still serving IPP sentences.

Data Sources and Quality

Deaths figures are derived from the HMPPS Deaths in Prison Custody database. As classification of deaths may change following inquest or as new information emerges, numbers may change from time to time.

(1) Apparent cause is based on the HMPPS classification of deaths in prison custody

(2) Figures for deaths during previous years may change due to late notifications and changes in classification following an inquest, which may not be concluded for several years after the death, so it is likely that numbers in some categories will be revised once classifications have been finalised. Prisoner information can occasionally be updated after death when improved data becomes available

(3) Figures include incidents during contracted out escorts

(4) Deaths in prison custody figures include all deaths of prisoners arising from incidents during prison custody. They include deaths of prisoners while released on temporary license (ROTL) for medical reasons but exclude other types of ROTL where the state has less direct responsibility.