Ministry of Justice

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HMPPS who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

The scope of legal aid is set out under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, and applicants are subject to relevant means and merits tests. Legal aid is available in relation to injunctions for nuisance arising from prescribed types of pollution of the environment, and for public law challenges, such as judicial reviews of decisions concerning water regulation. This would cover challenges that would benefit the environment. Proceedings related to private consumer law are generally not in scope.

Where an issue falls outside the scope of legal aid, individuals can apply for Exceptional Case Funding (ECF), which will be granted where they can show that without legal aid, there is a risk that their human rights may be breached. ECF applications are considered by the Legal Aid Agency on an individual basis.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions and sentences for a wide range of offences, including theft in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK

However, data held centrally does not include if the defendant is a foreign national. This information may be held in the court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HMPPS who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HMPPS who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HMPPS who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

We are working closely with international partners across our priorities, including lessons learnt from the battlefield to counter the threat of malicious drones. Officials are in further discussion with counterparts in Ukraine and other international allies to understand best practice and what lessons could be applied to the security of our prison estate.

International companies are also encouraged to take part in ongoing challenges to industry, for example the challenge launched on behalf of the Ministry of Justice by UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) on 3 March. The challenge is looking for practical, low-collateral technologies that can safely stop hostile drones once they breach secure prison airspace. Up to £1.85 million combined funding is available across the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and other partners.

As announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on his visit to Ukraine in January 2026, UKRI has committed an additional £6.5 million to help accelerate counter-drone research and development (R&D). This funding is owned and will be delivered by UKRI as part of the R&D Mission Accelerator Programme. Decisions for how this funding will be allocated are still being finalised and will be announced in due course.

As well as the £1.85 million challenge led by UKDI, the Ministry of Justice has also delivered counter-drone R&D through His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre. The Counter-Drone Challenge, launched in November 2025, invited industry to find cutting-edge solutions to detect drones. Successful applicants will receive up to £60,000 funding to develop proof-of-concept systems over a 12-week period. The Ministry of Justice will continue to work with UKRI, UKDI and the wider counter-drones ecosystem to develop innovative solutions to keep our prisons secure and protect the public.

We are working closely with international partners across our priorities, including lessons learnt from the battlefield to counter the threat of malicious drones. Officials are in further discussion with counterparts in Ukraine and other international allies to understand best practice and what lessons could be applied to the security of our prison estate.

International companies are also encouraged to take part in ongoing challenges to industry, for example the challenge launched on behalf of the Ministry of Justice by UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) on 3 March. The challenge is looking for practical, low-collateral technologies that can safely stop hostile drones once they breach secure prison airspace. Up to £1.85 million combined funding is available across the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and other partners.

As announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on his visit to Ukraine in January 2026, UKRI has committed an additional £6.5 million to help accelerate counter-drone research and development (R&D). This funding is owned and will be delivered by UKRI as part of the R&D Mission Accelerator Programme. Decisions for how this funding will be allocated are still being finalised and will be announced in due course.

As well as the £1.85 million challenge led by UKDI, the Ministry of Justice has also delivered counter-drone R&D through His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre. The Counter-Drone Challenge, launched in November 2025, invited industry to find cutting-edge solutions to detect drones. Successful applicants will receive up to £60,000 funding to develop proof-of-concept systems over a 12-week period. The Ministry of Justice will continue to work with UKRI, UKDI and the wider counter-drones ecosystem to develop innovative solutions to keep our prisons secure and protect the public.

We are working closely with international partners across our priorities, including lessons learnt from the battlefield to counter the threat of malicious drones. Officials are in further discussion with counterparts in Ukraine and other international allies to understand best practice and what lessons could be applied to the security of our prison estate.

International companies are also encouraged to take part in ongoing challenges to industry, for example the challenge launched on behalf of the Ministry of Justice by UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) on 3 March. The challenge is looking for practical, low-collateral technologies that can safely stop hostile drones once they breach secure prison airspace. Up to £1.85 million combined funding is available across the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and other partners.

As announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on his visit to Ukraine in January 2026, UKRI has committed an additional £6.5 million to help accelerate counter-drone research and development (R&D). This funding is owned and will be delivered by UKRI as part of the R&D Mission Accelerator Programme. Decisions for how this funding will be allocated are still being finalised and will be announced in due course.

As well as the £1.85 million challenge led by UKDI, the Ministry of Justice has also delivered counter-drone R&D through His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre. The Counter-Drone Challenge, launched in November 2025, invited industry to find cutting-edge solutions to detect drones. Successful applicants will receive up to £60,000 funding to develop proof-of-concept systems over a 12-week period. The Ministry of Justice will continue to work with UKRI, UKDI and the wider counter-drones ecosystem to develop innovative solutions to keep our prisons secure and protect the public.

We are committed to helping people with convictions overcome barriers to employment and turn away from reoffending. The criminal records regime is designed to play a role in this process, balancing the need to safeguard the public, with enabling ex-offenders to rebuild their lives.

We recognise, however, that disclosure requirements can impact on an individual’s chances to reintegrate into society. That is why the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that we are considering the recommendation made by Sir Brian Leveson in his independent review of the Criminal Courts, including opportunities to simplify the regime to ensure it is clear and proportionate, particularly in relation to childhood offences.

We are also committed to reducing barriers to employment in other ways, as we know that employment reduces the chance of reoffending significantly, by up to nine percentage points in the year following release. For example, last year we launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time bring businesses together with prisons, probation and the Department of Work and Pensions to support offenders leaving prison back into work.

There is provision for 50 full-time equivalent Strategic Housing Specialists in England and Wales. Nine of these provide intervention within the twelve prisons in the female estate. The provision of Strategic Housing Specialists is regularly reviewed to ensure consistent coverage of the resettlement estate.

There is provision for 50 full-time equivalent Strategic Housing Specialists in England and Wales. Nine of these provide intervention within the twelve prisons in the female estate. The provision of Strategic Housing Specialists is regularly reviewed to ensure consistent coverage of the resettlement estate.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information about cases in the open caseload at both the magistrates’ courts and at the Crown Court. This includes breakdowns of volumes and durations as part of the Crown Court open caseload published as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly: Criminal court statistics quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not publish data relating to the progression of cases or mode of trial in the open caseload.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information about cases in the open caseload at both the magistrates’ courts and at the Crown Court. This includes breakdowns of volumes and durations as part of the Crown Court open caseload published as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly: Criminal court statistics quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not publish data relating to the progression of cases or mode of trial in the open caseload.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information about cases in the open caseload at both the magistrates’ courts and at the Crown Court. This includes breakdowns of volumes and durations as part of the Crown Court open caseload published as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly: Criminal court statistics quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not publish data relating to the progression of cases or mode of trial in the open caseload.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information about cases in the open caseload at both the magistrates’ courts and at the Crown Court. This includes breakdowns of volumes and durations as part of the Crown Court open caseload published as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly: Criminal court statistics quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not publish data relating to the progression of cases or mode of trial in the open caseload.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information about cases in the open caseload at both the magistrates’ courts and at the Crown Court. This includes breakdowns of volumes and durations as part of the Crown Court open caseload published as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly: Criminal court statistics quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not publish data relating to the progression of cases or mode of trial in the open caseload.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information about cases in the open caseload at both the magistrates’ courts and at the Crown Court. This includes breakdowns of volumes and durations as part of the Crown Court open caseload published as part of Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly: Criminal court statistics quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice does not publish data relating to the progression of cases or mode of trial in the open caseload.

As is usual practice, detailed impact assessments will be provided alongside the necessary legislation for these reforms. The Government will bring forward this legislation when parliamentary time allows.

As is usual practice, detailed impact assessments will be provided alongside the necessary legislation for these reforms. The Government will bring forward this legislation when parliamentary time allows.

As is usual practice, detailed impact assessments will be provided alongside the necessary legislation for these reforms. The Government will bring forward this legislation when parliamentary time allows.

As is usual practice, detailed impact assessments will be provided alongside the necessary legislation for these reforms. The Government will bring forward this legislation when parliamentary time allows.

As is usual practice, detailed impact assessments will be provided alongside the necessary legislation for these reforms. The Government will bring forward this legislation when parliamentary time allows.

As is usual practice, detailed impact assessments will be provided alongside the necessary legislation for these reforms. The Government will bring forward this legislation when parliamentary time allows.

This Government is committed to reform of the family court to improve the experiences of, and outcomes for, children and families. Central to this is the expansion of the private law Pathfinder model, which amplifies the voice of the child through a Child Impact Report, ensures a higher proportion of children are directly engaged by social workers during proceedings, and offers specialist support to victims of domestic abuse. The model is supporting the court in making safe decisions which prioritise the best interests of the child, without delay.

The court has a range of powers open to it in relation to the enforcement of child arrangement orders, including the power to make an enforcement order under Section 11J of the Children Act 1989 where one party has failed to comply without reasonable excuse. The court will consider the circumstances of the breach, and the impact on the child ahead of making any decision in relation to enforcement.

Banks and other financial institutions are required to follow the requirements under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, the Immigration Act 2017 and the Sanctions and Money Laundering Act 2018. The Ministry of Justice has worked with UK Finance and other stakeholders to review the extent of customer identification evidence required by banks and other third-party organisations to meet these requirements in relation to attorneys acting under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and deputies acting under a court order.

Following a public consultation by HM. Treasury in Spring 2025, amendments were made to guidance issued by the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG). The amended guidance clarified the evidence that financial firms should request to confirm the identity of an attorney or court appointed deputy and the legal authority granted to them to access one or more accounts.

In December 2025, UK Finance issued a practice note for financial institutions which summarises the customer due diligence requirements that financial firms should take when registering an attorney appointed under an LPA or a court appointed deputy.

The changes to the JMLSG guidance and the UK Finance Practice Note should standardise the evidential requirements and make the identification process less burdensome for attorneys and court appointed deputies.

The Department and UK Finance will continue to monitor the situation.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Delivering the manifesto commitment to tackle knife possession by children will require police and Youth Justice Services to put in place more evidence-based interventions to ensure that knife possession by children is addressed swiftly, robustly and effectively. The Ministry of Justice is committing £320 million over the next 3 years to youth justice services. This multi-year certainty will give the stability to retain staff, plan more effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently – in order to better tackle knife possession and other offence committed by children.

Of the £320 million funding settlement, £46 million will be ringfenced for Turnaround – the Ministry of Justice’s youth crime early intervention and prevention programme. The Turnaround programme was established by the Ministry of Justice in 2022 to provide additional funding to support children on the cusp of the youth justice system, with the explicit aim of preventing future offending.

The new knife possession guidance is non-statutory. Youth Justice Services (YJSs) will be required, as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding, to have due regard to the guidance.

The Government will monitor compliance through:

• the annual plans produced by Youth Justice Services as a condition of their Ministry of Justice funding;

• new data requirements about Out of Court Resolutions that the Youth Justice Board has agreed to collect from YJSs from April 2026; and

• upcoming inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.

If a child does not comply with their mandatory plans, Youth Justice Services must notify the police. The police may then charge and prosecute the child for the original offence.

Engagement with interventions by Youth Justice Services can provide positive outcomes for children. Evidence from the Ministry of Justice’s Turnaround programme shows that, as of December 2024, only 7% of children who completed Turnaround interventions had offended as proven by a judicial decision or caution within 12 months of completion.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on convictions and cautions for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group in the Outcomes by Offences data and Out of Court Disposals tools, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The Ministry of Justice publishes sentencing information following remands for a wide range of offences, including knife possession by age group, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page: www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly.

The police and Youth Justice Services will conduct assessments as soon as the child comes into their contact to assess their needs. Any child who identifies as a victim of county lines or drug distribution exploitation will receive specialist support within their mandatory targeted plans.

Waiting time is the time that a defendant spends at the Crown Court before the main hearing starts (for example, the trial). The latest data to Q3 2025 shows that the median waiting time for sexual offences in England was 27 weeks and was 32 in the Northumbria Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB).

The Government commissioned Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts and, after considering the recommendations made in the report, we have announced our intention to take forward a bold package of structural reforms designed to speed up justice for all victims, including victims of sexual offences. This financial year we also funded 111,250 Crown Court sitting days – an all-time high - so that more cases could be heard.

We have also published our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy - ‘Freedom from Violence and Abuse’ - setting out the Government’s approach to tackling sexual and other offences perpetrated against women and girls. We are already acting by:

• Supporting victims with the largest ever investment of £550 million in victim support services over the next three years;

• Announcing a package of court measures to protect victims, particularly of sexual offences, from unnecessary and intrusive cross-examination about their personal lives.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold the information requested. While the Ministry of Justice holds data on convictions, our data relating to the Mental Health Act 1983 covers only individuals detained as restricted [Criminal Justice] patients and does not capture any prior detention under the Act.

NHS England is responsible for information relating to detentions under the Mental Health Act 1983. Any relevant information is therefore held separately by different Departments and is not linked.

As a result, we are unable to provide a breakdown of individuals convicted of violent offences or homicide who have a prior history of Mental Health Act detention.

The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.

The Government is focused on bringing down the backlog as soon as possible. Once the criminal court reforms come into force, they will apply to existing cases, provided the trial has not yet commenced. This will mean that cases which are past the point of initial mode of trial determination, but have not yet commenced trial, will be able to be changed from jury trial to trial by judge alone (either under the Crown Court Bench Division or on the grounds of technical complexity or length). Cases which are in the Crown Court will be retained within that jurisdiction.

Cases already part-way through a jury trial will proceed with a jury trial. Similarly, cases already assigned to one court jurisdiction (magistrates’ court or Crown Court) will not be reallocated to another jurisdiction.

The reason for taking this approach is so that the time savings and benefits of the reforms can be felt as soon as possible. Allowing pending cases to be tried by judge alone will enable us to start tackling the open caseload as soon as the new legislation is enacted, delivering swifter justice for victims without compromising defendants’ rights or fairness. It will also avoid two different procedures running in parallel in the Crown Court as a result of arbitrary cut-off dates. The application of procedural changes to existing cases is consistent with longstanding legal practice.

The National Year of Reading is a welcome opportunity to promote a wide range of activity to improve literacy and engagement with reading for people in custody and on probation.

As part of this work we have appointed the first ever Prison Reading Laureate, the author Lee Child. He will champion the transformative power of reading across the criminal justice system, continue expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 and will bring in more authors to work with prisons across the country, promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Reading is a priority for HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) who work with many voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations such as the Reading Agency and National Literacy Trust. A programme of work is planned throughout this year to improve national access to books and facilitate workshops with authors. The Youth Custody Service is also launching its first ever Literacy Festival to inspire reading amongst some of the most complex children in our society.

In 2025, the overall Criminal Justice System timely delivery to court performance was 98.19%, Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) suppliers met the contractual requirement for timely delivery of prisoners to court in 99.91% of cases. The impact of recent reform policies on delivery times is under review.

In addition to its regular oversight meetings with the contractors, the PECS contract management team continues to work collaboratively with criminal justice partners to address any performance issues. Strategic Partnership Boards convene quarterly to review performance and agree strategies to drive and sustain improvement.

The Children Act 1989 states that the welfare of the child is the court’s paramount consideration when making decisions in relation to a child's upbringing.

This Government is committed to reform of the family court to improve the experience and outcomes for children and families. Central to this is the expansion of the private law Pathfinder model, which amplifies the voice of the child through a Child Impact Report and ensures a higher proportion of children are directly engaged by social workers during proceedings. The model is supporting the court in making safe decisions which prioritise the best interests of the child, without delay.

The Pathfinder pilot was launched in Dorset and North Wales in February 2022 and is now operating across 10 court in England and Wales, which accounts for around a quarter of relevant private law proceedings. Plans for further expansion will be announced in due course.

Will-making and estate planning services are largely offered by private providers and, in some instances, charities may offer similar free services.

The Government is not aware of any concerns regarding the availability of will-making and estate planning services. There are no plans to review the provision of these services.

The latest published government statistics on probate applications can be found here: Family Court Statistics Quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK.

The Government recognises the important role Local Criminal Justice Boards play as the forum where local criminal justice system partners collaborate, and the Ministry of Justice remain committed to supporting them. The Ministry of Justice is working closely with the Home Office to ensure they collectively understand how local criminal justice governance, including the operation of Local Criminal Justice Boards (LCJBs), will operate under any new policing model.

In tandem, the Government is considering the recommendations in Part II of Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts relating to the operation and governance of LCJBs and will respond to them in the coming months.