Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2025 to question 78371, whether he plans to increase court numbers in Greater Manchester to deal with the backlog of cases; and if he will prioritise co-location with a new police station and other services in Oldham.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard in the Crown Court and too many victims waiting years for justice.
Upon entering office, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate action to allocate an additional Crown Court sitting days this financial year, taking the total allocation to a record 112,500 sitting days, over 5,000 more days than those funded last year by the previous Government. We have also secured record investment of up to £450 million per year for the courts system over the Spending Review period, alongside investing almost £150 million to modernise the court estate, including improvements at Manchester Crown Court. While plans to expand criminal hearing capacity in Greater Manchester remain under review, it is important to recognise that court capacity is determined by more than the number of available courtrooms. Increasing physical space alone will not create additional hearings unless there are also sufficient judges, magistrates, legal advisors, advocates and wider system partners available to support them.
To deliver that, we are accelerating our programme to recruit more new and diverse magistrates over the coming years. We continue to recruit high levels of legal advisers to ensure courts remain resilient. We are also continuing to invest in the recruitment of c.1,000 judges and tribunal members annually across all jurisdictions.
However, demand is currently so high, it is indisputable that fundamental reform is needed. That is why, on 2 December, the Government announced a bold and ambitious criminal court reform package to ensure cases are dealt with proportionately and deliver swifter justice for victims.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to strengthen cross-government collaboration on neurodiversity in the criminal justice system, particularly with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving support for neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity Action Plan
The Cross-Government Neurodiversity Action Plan, along with subsequent progress updates published in January and September 2023 set out how the department, working alongside health and justice partners, has made progress and monitored delivery and outcomes across the criminal justice system. We are committed to publishing a final update to the Action Plan shortly, which will set out the significant improvements made in improving support for those with neurodiverse needs and next steps.
Cross-Government Collaboration
NHS England is responsible for commissioning healthcare services in prisons, including the provision of clinical interventions. We continue to work closely with partners including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Health and Justice National Neurodiversity Programme Board to improve support for neurodiverse individuals in the criminal justice system.
The Youth Custody Service operates under the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) co-commissioned by NHS England. Young Offender Institutions have Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children. Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) are requested from the community, and we work closely with Department for Education and DHSC to ensure effective delivery.
Funding
We do not hold data centrally on the funding allocated to interventions for neurodivergent people in prison or on probation. HMPPS provides a range of interventions, including educational interventions delivered as part of the Prisoner Education Service, therapeutic interventions specifically for neurodivergent individuals and tailoring of interventions, including Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, to be inclusive of neurodivergence.
Screening
HMPPS screens all prisoners as part of the induction process following entry into prison to identify any needs that may affect their ability to engage with the regime and navigate its environment and opportunities.
To improve prison screening practices, a new Additional Learning Needs tool was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This tool identifies individual strengths, and any additional learning needs they may have as well as what adjustments might help support them.
Reasonable adjustments differ at each stage and therefore, a universal screening tool would not be practical to identify individual needs across the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity leads
NSMs have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. As of November 2025, there are NSMs in 116 prisons across England and Wales, with seven sites recruiting. NSMs use a range of methods to ensure that sufficient support for neurodiversity is available in their prisons, including introducing Neurodiversity Staff Champions or Neurodiversity Peer mentors. Regular networking and training opportunities are provided to NSMs, providing them with ongoing support and development.
As of September 2025, 99 prisons had reported progress on implementing this support. 45 reported having Neurodiversity Support Champions and 66 (two-thirds) reported having Neurodiversity Reps or Peer mentors.
Training and support for staff
We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of staff who have completed neurodiversity training. However, a key priority for NSMs is to provide training and guidance to prison staff to equip them to better support neurodivergent individuals. This includes training on neurodiversity supportive practice and ensuring that all staff members have the support, and resources they need to facilitate reasonable adjustments as required.
In probation, HMPPS offer neurodiversity learning packages for all staff as part of the Probation Learning and Development curriculum, and new Probation Service Officers and those undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation are required to undertake learning that includes neurodiversity.
Easy Reads
We aim for all prisoner-facing documents to be written in clear, simple English. When our staff write new or revised policies, or other documents which prisoners need to read, we require them to use plain language, keep text brief, spell out acronyms on first use, and avoid unnecessary words or jargon.
NSMs have received training on creating easy-read documents. As part of their role in making prison environments more supportive of neurodivergence, many have produced easy-read versions of key prison documents, including a Prison Induction Handbook for prisoners with low literacy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to (a) publish an updated progress report on delivery of the Neurodiversity Action Plan and (b) replace it with a new plan.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving support for neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity Action Plan
The Cross-Government Neurodiversity Action Plan, along with subsequent progress updates published in January and September 2023 set out how the department, working alongside health and justice partners, has made progress and monitored delivery and outcomes across the criminal justice system. We are committed to publishing a final update to the Action Plan shortly, which will set out the significant improvements made in improving support for those with neurodiverse needs and next steps.
Cross-Government Collaboration
NHS England is responsible for commissioning healthcare services in prisons, including the provision of clinical interventions. We continue to work closely with partners including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Health and Justice National Neurodiversity Programme Board to improve support for neurodiverse individuals in the criminal justice system.
The Youth Custody Service operates under the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) co-commissioned by NHS England. Young Offender Institutions have Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children. Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) are requested from the community, and we work closely with Department for Education and DHSC to ensure effective delivery.
Funding
We do not hold data centrally on the funding allocated to interventions for neurodivergent people in prison or on probation. HMPPS provides a range of interventions, including educational interventions delivered as part of the Prisoner Education Service, therapeutic interventions specifically for neurodivergent individuals and tailoring of interventions, including Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, to be inclusive of neurodivergence.
Screening
HMPPS screens all prisoners as part of the induction process following entry into prison to identify any needs that may affect their ability to engage with the regime and navigate its environment and opportunities.
To improve prison screening practices, a new Additional Learning Needs tool was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This tool identifies individual strengths, and any additional learning needs they may have as well as what adjustments might help support them.
Reasonable adjustments differ at each stage and therefore, a universal screening tool would not be practical to identify individual needs across the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity leads
NSMs have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. As of November 2025, there are NSMs in 116 prisons across England and Wales, with seven sites recruiting. NSMs use a range of methods to ensure that sufficient support for neurodiversity is available in their prisons, including introducing Neurodiversity Staff Champions or Neurodiversity Peer mentors. Regular networking and training opportunities are provided to NSMs, providing them with ongoing support and development.
As of September 2025, 99 prisons had reported progress on implementing this support. 45 reported having Neurodiversity Support Champions and 66 (two-thirds) reported having Neurodiversity Reps or Peer mentors.
Training and support for staff
We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of staff who have completed neurodiversity training. However, a key priority for NSMs is to provide training and guidance to prison staff to equip them to better support neurodivergent individuals. This includes training on neurodiversity supportive practice and ensuring that all staff members have the support, and resources they need to facilitate reasonable adjustments as required.
In probation, HMPPS offer neurodiversity learning packages for all staff as part of the Probation Learning and Development curriculum, and new Probation Service Officers and those undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation are required to undertake learning that includes neurodiversity.
Easy Reads
We aim for all prisoner-facing documents to be written in clear, simple English. When our staff write new or revised policies, or other documents which prisoners need to read, we require them to use plain language, keep text brief, spell out acronyms on first use, and avoid unnecessary words or jargon.
NSMs have received training on creating easy-read documents. As part of their role in making prison environments more supportive of neurodivergence, many have produced easy-read versions of key prison documents, including a Prison Induction Handbook for prisoners with low literacy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what funding has been allocated to support specialist interventions for neurodivergent individuals in custody and in the community.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving support for neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity Action Plan
The Cross-Government Neurodiversity Action Plan, along with subsequent progress updates published in January and September 2023 set out how the department, working alongside health and justice partners, has made progress and monitored delivery and outcomes across the criminal justice system. We are committed to publishing a final update to the Action Plan shortly, which will set out the significant improvements made in improving support for those with neurodiverse needs and next steps.
Cross-Government Collaboration
NHS England is responsible for commissioning healthcare services in prisons, including the provision of clinical interventions. We continue to work closely with partners including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Health and Justice National Neurodiversity Programme Board to improve support for neurodiverse individuals in the criminal justice system.
The Youth Custody Service operates under the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) co-commissioned by NHS England. Young Offender Institutions have Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children. Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) are requested from the community, and we work closely with Department for Education and DHSC to ensure effective delivery.
Funding
We do not hold data centrally on the funding allocated to interventions for neurodivergent people in prison or on probation. HMPPS provides a range of interventions, including educational interventions delivered as part of the Prisoner Education Service, therapeutic interventions specifically for neurodivergent individuals and tailoring of interventions, including Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, to be inclusive of neurodivergence.
Screening
HMPPS screens all prisoners as part of the induction process following entry into prison to identify any needs that may affect their ability to engage with the regime and navigate its environment and opportunities.
To improve prison screening practices, a new Additional Learning Needs tool was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This tool identifies individual strengths, and any additional learning needs they may have as well as what adjustments might help support them.
Reasonable adjustments differ at each stage and therefore, a universal screening tool would not be practical to identify individual needs across the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity leads
NSMs have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. As of November 2025, there are NSMs in 116 prisons across England and Wales, with seven sites recruiting. NSMs use a range of methods to ensure that sufficient support for neurodiversity is available in their prisons, including introducing Neurodiversity Staff Champions or Neurodiversity Peer mentors. Regular networking and training opportunities are provided to NSMs, providing them with ongoing support and development.
As of September 2025, 99 prisons had reported progress on implementing this support. 45 reported having Neurodiversity Support Champions and 66 (two-thirds) reported having Neurodiversity Reps or Peer mentors.
Training and support for staff
We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of staff who have completed neurodiversity training. However, a key priority for NSMs is to provide training and guidance to prison staff to equip them to better support neurodivergent individuals. This includes training on neurodiversity supportive practice and ensuring that all staff members have the support, and resources they need to facilitate reasonable adjustments as required.
In probation, HMPPS offer neurodiversity learning packages for all staff as part of the Probation Learning and Development curriculum, and new Probation Service Officers and those undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation are required to undertake learning that includes neurodiversity.
Easy Reads
We aim for all prisoner-facing documents to be written in clear, simple English. When our staff write new or revised policies, or other documents which prisoners need to read, we require them to use plain language, keep text brief, spell out acronyms on first use, and avoid unnecessary words or jargon.
NSMs have received training on creating easy-read documents. As part of their role in making prison environments more supportive of neurodivergence, many have produced easy-read versions of key prison documents, including a Prison Induction Handbook for prisoners with low literacy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of prisons have introduced Neurodiversity Rep jobs.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving support for neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity Action Plan
The Cross-Government Neurodiversity Action Plan, along with subsequent progress updates published in January and September 2023 set out how the department, working alongside health and justice partners, has made progress and monitored delivery and outcomes across the criminal justice system. We are committed to publishing a final update to the Action Plan shortly, which will set out the significant improvements made in improving support for those with neurodiverse needs and next steps.
Cross-Government Collaboration
NHS England is responsible for commissioning healthcare services in prisons, including the provision of clinical interventions. We continue to work closely with partners including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Health and Justice National Neurodiversity Programme Board to improve support for neurodiverse individuals in the criminal justice system.
The Youth Custody Service operates under the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) co-commissioned by NHS England. Young Offender Institutions have Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children. Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) are requested from the community, and we work closely with Department for Education and DHSC to ensure effective delivery.
Funding
We do not hold data centrally on the funding allocated to interventions for neurodivergent people in prison or on probation. HMPPS provides a range of interventions, including educational interventions delivered as part of the Prisoner Education Service, therapeutic interventions specifically for neurodivergent individuals and tailoring of interventions, including Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, to be inclusive of neurodivergence.
Screening
HMPPS screens all prisoners as part of the induction process following entry into prison to identify any needs that may affect their ability to engage with the regime and navigate its environment and opportunities.
To improve prison screening practices, a new Additional Learning Needs tool was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This tool identifies individual strengths, and any additional learning needs they may have as well as what adjustments might help support them.
Reasonable adjustments differ at each stage and therefore, a universal screening tool would not be practical to identify individual needs across the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity leads
NSMs have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. As of November 2025, there are NSMs in 116 prisons across England and Wales, with seven sites recruiting. NSMs use a range of methods to ensure that sufficient support for neurodiversity is available in their prisons, including introducing Neurodiversity Staff Champions or Neurodiversity Peer mentors. Regular networking and training opportunities are provided to NSMs, providing them with ongoing support and development.
As of September 2025, 99 prisons had reported progress on implementing this support. 45 reported having Neurodiversity Support Champions and 66 (two-thirds) reported having Neurodiversity Reps or Peer mentors.
Training and support for staff
We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of staff who have completed neurodiversity training. However, a key priority for NSMs is to provide training and guidance to prison staff to equip them to better support neurodivergent individuals. This includes training on neurodiversity supportive practice and ensuring that all staff members have the support, and resources they need to facilitate reasonable adjustments as required.
In probation, HMPPS offer neurodiversity learning packages for all staff as part of the Probation Learning and Development curriculum, and new Probation Service Officers and those undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation are required to undertake learning that includes neurodiversity.
Easy Reads
We aim for all prisoner-facing documents to be written in clear, simple English. When our staff write new or revised policies, or other documents which prisoners need to read, we require them to use plain language, keep text brief, spell out acronyms on first use, and avoid unnecessary words or jargon.
NSMs have received training on creating easy-read documents. As part of their role in making prison environments more supportive of neurodivergence, many have produced easy-read versions of key prison documents, including a Prison Induction Handbook for prisoners with low literacy.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times drones have been recorded delivering (a) weapons and (b) drugs into prisons in each of the last three years.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
We publish the number of drone incidents in England and Wales in the HMPPS Annual Digest, please see table 6_1 in the Finds tables. The latest issue covers the 12-month period to March 2025, with a time series of drone incidents starting from the 12-months to March 2021.
Any increase in reported drone incidents should not be interpreted as an increase in incursions; it may reflect more focused reporting. Drone incidents should not be interpreted as definitive evidence of the delivery of weapons and drugs into prisons, as they include all incidents where a drone is sighted. Data specific to deliveries of illicit items cannot be disclosed for security reasons.
Asked by: Robert Jenrick (Conservative - Newark)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many murder, manslaughter and rape cases were dealt with in the Crown court in the past 12 months.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
In the 12 months to June, there were 114,325 cases disposed of at the Crown Court for all offences, 3,615 for rape, 483 for murder and 49 for manslaughter – rape accounts for 3.0%, and murder and manslaughter combined make up less than 0.1% of all disposals at the Crown Court in the period.
This is a further breakdown of Crown Court workload statistics, Table C1, published in Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly here.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure all front-line staff receive training to support neurodivergent people in custody and under supervision.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving support for neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity Action Plan
The Cross-Government Neurodiversity Action Plan, along with subsequent progress updates published in January and September 2023 set out how the department, working alongside health and justice partners, has made progress and monitored delivery and outcomes across the criminal justice system. We are committed to publishing a final update to the Action Plan shortly, which will set out the significant improvements made in improving support for those with neurodiverse needs and next steps.
Cross-Government Collaboration
NHS England is responsible for commissioning healthcare services in prisons, including the provision of clinical interventions. We continue to work closely with partners including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Health and Justice National Neurodiversity Programme Board to improve support for neurodiverse individuals in the criminal justice system.
The Youth Custody Service operates under the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) co-commissioned by NHS England. Young Offender Institutions have Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children. Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) are requested from the community, and we work closely with Department for Education and DHSC to ensure effective delivery.
Funding
We do not hold data centrally on the funding allocated to interventions for neurodivergent people in prison or on probation. HMPPS provides a range of interventions, including educational interventions delivered as part of the Prisoner Education Service, therapeutic interventions specifically for neurodivergent individuals and tailoring of interventions, including Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, to be inclusive of neurodivergence.
Screening
HMPPS screens all prisoners as part of the induction process following entry into prison to identify any needs that may affect their ability to engage with the regime and navigate its environment and opportunities.
To improve prison screening practices, a new Additional Learning Needs tool was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This tool identifies individual strengths, and any additional learning needs they may have as well as what adjustments might help support them.
Reasonable adjustments differ at each stage and therefore, a universal screening tool would not be practical to identify individual needs across the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity leads
NSMs have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. As of November 2025, there are NSMs in 116 prisons across England and Wales, with seven sites recruiting. NSMs use a range of methods to ensure that sufficient support for neurodiversity is available in their prisons, including introducing Neurodiversity Staff Champions or Neurodiversity Peer mentors. Regular networking and training opportunities are provided to NSMs, providing them with ongoing support and development.
As of September 2025, 99 prisons had reported progress on implementing this support. 45 reported having Neurodiversity Support Champions and 66 (two-thirds) reported having Neurodiversity Reps or Peer mentors.
Training and support for staff
We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of staff who have completed neurodiversity training. However, a key priority for NSMs is to provide training and guidance to prison staff to equip them to better support neurodivergent individuals. This includes training on neurodiversity supportive practice and ensuring that all staff members have the support, and resources they need to facilitate reasonable adjustments as required.
In probation, HMPPS offer neurodiversity learning packages for all staff as part of the Probation Learning and Development curriculum, and new Probation Service Officers and those undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation are required to undertake learning that includes neurodiversity.
Easy Reads
We aim for all prisoner-facing documents to be written in clear, simple English. When our staff write new or revised policies, or other documents which prisoners need to read, we require them to use plain language, keep text brief, spell out acronyms on first use, and avoid unnecessary words or jargon.
NSMs have received training on creating easy-read documents. As part of their role in making prison environments more supportive of neurodivergence, many have produced easy-read versions of key prison documents, including a Prison Induction Handbook for prisoners with low literacy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether neurodiversity screening tools have been standardised across all prisons and probation regions.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving support for neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity Action Plan
The Cross-Government Neurodiversity Action Plan, along with subsequent progress updates published in January and September 2023 set out how the department, working alongside health and justice partners, has made progress and monitored delivery and outcomes across the criminal justice system. We are committed to publishing a final update to the Action Plan shortly, which will set out the significant improvements made in improving support for those with neurodiverse needs and next steps.
Cross-Government Collaboration
NHS England is responsible for commissioning healthcare services in prisons, including the provision of clinical interventions. We continue to work closely with partners including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Health and Justice National Neurodiversity Programme Board to improve support for neurodiverse individuals in the criminal justice system.
The Youth Custody Service operates under the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) co-commissioned by NHS England. Young Offender Institutions have Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children. Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) are requested from the community, and we work closely with Department for Education and DHSC to ensure effective delivery.
Funding
We do not hold data centrally on the funding allocated to interventions for neurodivergent people in prison or on probation. HMPPS provides a range of interventions, including educational interventions delivered as part of the Prisoner Education Service, therapeutic interventions specifically for neurodivergent individuals and tailoring of interventions, including Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, to be inclusive of neurodivergence.
Screening
HMPPS screens all prisoners as part of the induction process following entry into prison to identify any needs that may affect their ability to engage with the regime and navigate its environment and opportunities.
To improve prison screening practices, a new Additional Learning Needs tool was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This tool identifies individual strengths, and any additional learning needs they may have as well as what adjustments might help support them.
Reasonable adjustments differ at each stage and therefore, a universal screening tool would not be practical to identify individual needs across the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity leads
NSMs have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. As of November 2025, there are NSMs in 116 prisons across England and Wales, with seven sites recruiting. NSMs use a range of methods to ensure that sufficient support for neurodiversity is available in their prisons, including introducing Neurodiversity Staff Champions or Neurodiversity Peer mentors. Regular networking and training opportunities are provided to NSMs, providing them with ongoing support and development.
As of September 2025, 99 prisons had reported progress on implementing this support. 45 reported having Neurodiversity Support Champions and 66 (two-thirds) reported having Neurodiversity Reps or Peer mentors.
Training and support for staff
We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of staff who have completed neurodiversity training. However, a key priority for NSMs is to provide training and guidance to prison staff to equip them to better support neurodivergent individuals. This includes training on neurodiversity supportive practice and ensuring that all staff members have the support, and resources they need to facilitate reasonable adjustments as required.
In probation, HMPPS offer neurodiversity learning packages for all staff as part of the Probation Learning and Development curriculum, and new Probation Service Officers and those undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation are required to undertake learning that includes neurodiversity.
Easy Reads
We aim for all prisoner-facing documents to be written in clear, simple English. When our staff write new or revised policies, or other documents which prisoners need to read, we require them to use plain language, keep text brief, spell out acronyms on first use, and avoid unnecessary words or jargon.
NSMs have received training on creating easy-read documents. As part of their role in making prison environments more supportive of neurodivergence, many have produced easy-read versions of key prison documents, including a Prison Induction Handbook for prisoners with low literacy.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of prison and probation staff have completed neurodiversity awareness training since 2022.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice remains committed to improving support for neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity Action Plan
The Cross-Government Neurodiversity Action Plan, along with subsequent progress updates published in January and September 2023 set out how the department, working alongside health and justice partners, has made progress and monitored delivery and outcomes across the criminal justice system. We are committed to publishing a final update to the Action Plan shortly, which will set out the significant improvements made in improving support for those with neurodiverse needs and next steps.
Cross-Government Collaboration
NHS England is responsible for commissioning healthcare services in prisons, including the provision of clinical interventions. We continue to work closely with partners including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) through the Health and Justice National Neurodiversity Programme Board to improve support for neurodiverse individuals in the criminal justice system.
The Youth Custody Service operates under the Framework of Integrated Care (SECURE STAIRS) co-commissioned by NHS England. Young Offender Institutions have Neurodiversity Support Managers (NSMs), and qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children. Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCP) are requested from the community, and we work closely with Department for Education and DHSC to ensure effective delivery.
Funding
We do not hold data centrally on the funding allocated to interventions for neurodivergent people in prison or on probation. HMPPS provides a range of interventions, including educational interventions delivered as part of the Prisoner Education Service, therapeutic interventions specifically for neurodivergent individuals and tailoring of interventions, including Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes, to be inclusive of neurodivergence.
Screening
HMPPS screens all prisoners as part of the induction process following entry into prison to identify any needs that may affect their ability to engage with the regime and navigate its environment and opportunities.
To improve prison screening practices, a new Additional Learning Needs tool was introduced in October 2025 as part of the new Prisoner Education Service. This tool identifies individual strengths, and any additional learning needs they may have as well as what adjustments might help support them.
Reasonable adjustments differ at each stage and therefore, a universal screening tool would not be practical to identify individual needs across the criminal justice system.
Neurodiversity leads
NSMs have been successfully rolled out across the prison service. As of November 2025, there are NSMs in 116 prisons across England and Wales, with seven sites recruiting. NSMs use a range of methods to ensure that sufficient support for neurodiversity is available in their prisons, including introducing Neurodiversity Staff Champions or Neurodiversity Peer mentors. Regular networking and training opportunities are provided to NSMs, providing them with ongoing support and development.
As of September 2025, 99 prisons had reported progress on implementing this support. 45 reported having Neurodiversity Support Champions and 66 (two-thirds) reported having Neurodiversity Reps or Peer mentors.
Training and support for staff
We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of staff who have completed neurodiversity training. However, a key priority for NSMs is to provide training and guidance to prison staff to equip them to better support neurodivergent individuals. This includes training on neurodiversity supportive practice and ensuring that all staff members have the support, and resources they need to facilitate reasonable adjustments as required.
In probation, HMPPS offer neurodiversity learning packages for all staff as part of the Probation Learning and Development curriculum, and new Probation Service Officers and those undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation are required to undertake learning that includes neurodiversity.
Easy Reads
We aim for all prisoner-facing documents to be written in clear, simple English. When our staff write new or revised policies, or other documents which prisoners need to read, we require them to use plain language, keep text brief, spell out acronyms on first use, and avoid unnecessary words or jargon.
NSMs have received training on creating easy-read documents. As part of their role in making prison environments more supportive of neurodivergence, many have produced easy-read versions of key prison documents, including a Prison Induction Handbook for prisoners with low literacy.