Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of biological males in women’s prisons or prison places designated for women; and what steps if any they are taking to (1) prevent biological males from being placed in prison places designated for women, and (2) ensure biological males currently placed in such place are removed and placed in prison places designated for men.

We welcome the EHRC’s draft Code of Practice which has now been laid in Parliament. There will now be a 40-day period for Parliament to scrutinise and ratify this. We must let that process happen.

We are carefully considering the new Code and any implications for the prison estate, including the allocation of transgender prisoners, in which context Local and Complex Case Boards currently play an important role.

The vast majority of transgender women are held in men's prisons. Of the small number that are in women's prisons, the majority are held on E Wing, a separate unit co-located within HMP Downview that is not part of the general female estate.