Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average number of miles that a (1) woman, or (2) man, in prison is held from their home address.

As of 19 November 2021, prisoners living in the female prison estate were, on average, 46 miles away from their origin address.

As of 19 November 2021, prisoners living in the male prison estate were, on average, 45 miles away from their origin address.

There are complex and wide-ranging issues involved in transferring and locating prisoners, and allocation decisions must reflect both the specific needs and circumstances of the prisoner, including their security assessment, as well as the operating environment and range of services at the receiving prison.

HM Prison and Probation Service is committed to ensuring, where practicable, that prisoners are accommodated as close as possible to their resettlement communities and families. Whilst this is a priority, it is not always possible due to a variety of factors including wider population pressures, or where prisoners have specific sentence planning needs which can only be met at certain establishments.