Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to set out a policy on the suitability of accommodating biological males in the women’s prison estate.

The policy inherited by this Government is that no transgender woman charged with or convicted of a sexual or violent offence, or who retains birth genitalia, can be held in the general women’s estate, other than in exceptional circumstances and where granted an exemption by a minister. No such exemptions have been granted under this Government.

We are currently reviewing transgender prisoner allocation policy in light of the recently updated EHRC Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, and will be able to say more on this shortly.