Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to include residential rehabilitation treatment in her plans for justice reform.

We know continued engagement with treatment and recovery throughout an offender’s journey is vital to reduce drug misuse, drug-related crime, and reoffending. Responsibility for funding and commissioning of substance misuse treatment lies with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS Wales. We work very closely with health partners to ensure pathways are accessible for offenders, including to residential rehabilitation which can be a valuable treatment option for some.

In line with recommendations from the Independent Sentencing Review, we want to divert more offenders away from custody where appropriate, including increasing the use of Drug Rehabilitation Requirements to address the underlying causes of offending. For those who do go to prison, accessing support to resettle effectively in the community is crucial, particularly as the first few weeks after release are high-risk for relapse, overdose, and reoffending.

To support this, community probation practitioners coordinate the overall rehabilitation of an offender, supported by pre-release teams. They work proactively with all prisoners to make sure the right support is on offer during their time in prison and prior to release to address resettlement needs such as accommodation, employment, and substance misuse. Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators work nationwide to support prison leavers to maintain recovery in the community, strengthening links between prisons, probation and treatment providers. The latest data for June 2025 shows that 54% of adults released with an ongoing substance misuse need engaged in treatment within 3 weeks of release, an increase from 38% in April 2021.