Ministry of Justice

The roles of Director General of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for Prisons are currently being filled on an interim basis. The recruitment position is unchanged from my reply of 22 September.

Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) membership is currently made up of: Permanent Secretary, Home Office (who serves as the Chair); Permanent Secretary, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury; Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government; Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Government Chief People Officer (Cabinet Office), Permanent Secretary, Department for Work & Pensions; and Director General, MI5. As set out in the Civil Service Senior Appointments Protocol, the First Civil Service Commissioner also sits on the SLC as a permanent member. There are currently no representatives from the Ministry of Justice on the SLC.

Civil Service Commissioners must chair all permanent competitions for posts at SCS Pay Band 4 (Permanent Secretary) and SCS Pay Band 3 (Director General) level. This requirement applies both to open (external) competitions and to Civil Service-wide (internal) competitions. Commissioners do not have involvement in appointments where an exception is granted, although these are reported to the Commission on a quarterly basis. The current appointments were made under exceptions due to the temporary nature of the arrangements. Any future permanent recruitment will follow the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and be chaired by a Civil Service Commissioner.

The roles of Director General of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for Prisons are currently being filled on an interim basis. The recruitment position is unchanged from my reply of 22 September.

Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) membership is currently made up of: Permanent Secretary, Home Office (who serves as the Chair); Permanent Secretary, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury; Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government; Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Government Chief People Officer (Cabinet Office), Permanent Secretary, Department for Work & Pensions; and Director General, MI5. As set out in the Civil Service Senior Appointments Protocol, the First Civil Service Commissioner also sits on the SLC as a permanent member. There are currently no representatives from the Ministry of Justice on the SLC.

Civil Service Commissioners must chair all permanent competitions for posts at SCS Pay Band 4 (Permanent Secretary) and SCS Pay Band 3 (Director General) level. This requirement applies both to open (external) competitions and to Civil Service-wide (internal) competitions. Commissioners do not have involvement in appointments where an exception is granted, although these are reported to the Commission on a quarterly basis. The current appointments were made under exceptions due to the temporary nature of the arrangements. Any future permanent recruitment will follow the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and be chaired by a Civil Service Commissioner.

It is crucial that we have a justice system that punishes offenders and supports victims. That is why increasing restriction on serious sexual and violent offenders is part of our Plan for Change to cut crime and make streets safer.

Through the Sentencing Bill, we are introducing a new power which will allow restriction zones on offenders to be imposed on offenders on licence, where appropriate. These will restrict certain offenders to specific areas – so their victims know they are safe wherever else they want to go. Licence conditions for offenders convicted of murder are determined by the independent Parole Board.

We are working to finalise the operation of, and eligibility for, these zones, subject to the passage of the Sentencing Bill.

It is crucial that we have a justice system that punishes offenders and supports victims. That is why increasing restriction on serious sexual and violent offenders is part of our Plan for Change to cut crime and make streets safer.

Through the Sentencing Bill, we are introducing a new power which will allow restriction zones on offenders to be imposed on offenders on licence, where appropriate. These will restrict certain offenders to specific areas – so their victims know they are safe wherever else they want to go. Licence conditions for offenders convicted of murder are determined by the independent Parole Board.

We are working to finalise the operation of, and eligibility for, these zones, subject to the passage of the Sentencing Bill.

Data about expenditure on food and specific meals is not held centrally. Prison food budgets are determined locally (by the Governor in public sector prisons or the Director in privately managed prisons). They are kept under review as part of normal non-pay budget allocation. Our policy sets out clear expectations to provide for three balanced nutritious meals a day, including breakfast and catering managers are provided guidance to support this.

Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act provides for the Secretary of State to pay compensation to an individual who has suffered a miscarriage of justice, subject to meeting the statutory test. This is administrated by the Miscarriages of Justice Application Service (MOJAS). Annual data is published on MOJAS setting out number of applications and who is eligible for compensation.

The Law Commission is currently undertaking a review of the criminal appeals process, including the test for compensation payable for miscarriages of justice under section 133, and we look forward to their report in 2026.

The Sentencing Bill includes a range of measures that will strengthen protections for victims of domestic abuse and ensure the justice system responds robustly to offending. These measures will help to ensure that prisons never run out of space again and dangerous offenders can be kept off the streets.

We are introducing a new judicial finding of domestic abuse at sentencing, which will help ensure domestic abuse offenders are better identified and monitored throughout the system. This will support stronger protections for victims, whether the perpetrator is in custody or in the community.

The Bill also retains a different release point for the most serious violent and sexual offenders and gives judges full discretion to impose immediate custody in cases involving significant risk of harm to an individual – including to protect victims of domestic abuse. In addition, we are imposing tough restriction zones for serious sexual and violent offenders, which limit the movement of perpetrators rather than victims.

These reforms are part of our wider commitment to a justice system that punishes offenders, protects the public, and supports victims – including those affected by domestic abuse.

All employees are bound by the Civil Service Code and must serve the Government impartially. The HMPPS Outside Activities Policy requires all employees, including all grades of Prison Officer, to remain politically neutral at all times and they must seek permission to take part in political activities if needed. Employees must not carry out any political activity while on duty, in uniform or on official premises.

The judiciary are responsible for publishing lists of judges. They do not routinely publish lists of fee-paid (part-time) judges due to the frequency of changes in the fee-paid judge cohort.

Information on the number of judges in post is published in the annual Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/judicial-diversity-statistics.

The current judicial salaries and fees are published annually: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/judicial-salaries-and-fees-2025-to-2026.

The total cost of judicial remuneration depends on the number of sittings per year. In 2024/25, the costs of judges sitting in the Immigration and Asylum Chambers of both the First-tier and Upper Tribunal were:

The judiciary are responsible for publishing lists of judges. They do not routinely publish lists of fee-paid (part-time) judges due to the frequency of changes in the fee-paid judge cohort.

Information on the number of judges in post is published in the annual Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/judicial-diversity-statistics.

The current judicial salaries and fees are published annually: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/judicial-salaries-and-fees-2025-to-2026.

The total cost of judicial remuneration depends on the number of sittings per year. In 2024/25, the costs of judges sitting in the Immigration and Asylum Chambers of both the First-tier and Upper Tribunal were:

The Law Commission review into the law of contempt of court in England and Wales is ongoing. The Commission will report with proposals for reform to clarify the law in this area and improve its consistency, coherence, and effectiveness. The first report is expected to be published in November 2025 and the second in 2026.

The Government will carefully consider any recommendations proposed by the Law Commission following the publication of these reports.

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. It is unacceptable that victims and witnesses are waiting years for justice. We are committed to creating a more sustainable justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence.

Upon taking office, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate action to allocate additional Crown Court sitting days this financial year, taking the total to a record-high allocation of 111,250. We continue to build capacity in magistrates’ courts, with 14,636 magistrates in post as of April 2025 across England and Wales and we are uplifting our programme to bring in 2,000 new magistrates over the next 12 months. We will continue to recruit at high levels in future years, ensuring our benches reflect the diverse communities they serve. We also continue to recruit high levels of legal advisers, securing resilience for years to come.

However, demand is currently so high, it is indisputable that fundamental reform is needed. That is why this Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose once-in-a-generation reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims.

We are carefully considering Sir Brian’s first report and will respond in due course. Work on Part 2 of the report, looking at how the criminal courts can operate as efficiently as possible, is underway and it is expected to be finalised later this year.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring fairness and accessibility of services for all participants, including deaf jurors.

Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that in the last 12 months, HMCTS is aware of one instance where a juror needing a British Sign Language interpreter was unable to complete their jury service. HMCTS is investigating the circumstances to understand what occurred.

Guidance is in place and is kept under review for HMCTS staff in relation to arranging registered British Sign Language interpreters for jurors.

Deaf relay interpreters are not currently used for juror provision.

The provision of British Sign Language interpreters to the Ministry of Justice is provided by Clarion UK Ltd. Detailed guidance and training is provided to courts and tribunals staff responsible for booking interpreters to ensure they follow the correct processes and book suitably qualified interpreters. The supplier provides confirmation of a booking once an interpreter is allocated and this is monitored throughout the booking duration. The Ministry of Justice maintains strong governance through a dedicated Commercial and Contract Management team, ensuring the provider is held accountable and the service is delivered to agreed standards.

Jurors are proactively updated about changes in booking arrangements, and provided with written induction materials, interpreter oaths and relevant guidance documents. Where appropriate, jurors requiring BSL interpretation may also be invited to a pre-court visit with an interpreter present. This enables them to familiarise themselves with the courtroom, ask questions about the process and discuss their needs, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence before their service begins.

HMCTS keeps operational guidance, training and processes under regular review.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring fairness and accessibility of services for all participants, including deaf jurors.

Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that in the last 12 months, HMCTS is aware of one instance where a juror needing a British Sign Language interpreter was unable to complete their jury service. HMCTS is investigating the circumstances to understand what occurred.

Guidance is in place and is kept under review for HMCTS staff in relation to arranging registered British Sign Language interpreters for jurors.

Deaf relay interpreters are not currently used for juror provision.

The provision of British Sign Language interpreters to the Ministry of Justice is provided by Clarion UK Ltd. Detailed guidance and training is provided to courts and tribunals staff responsible for booking interpreters to ensure they follow the correct processes and book suitably qualified interpreters. The supplier provides confirmation of a booking once an interpreter is allocated and this is monitored throughout the booking duration. The Ministry of Justice maintains strong governance through a dedicated Commercial and Contract Management team, ensuring the provider is held accountable and the service is delivered to agreed standards.

Jurors are proactively updated about changes in booking arrangements, and provided with written induction materials, interpreter oaths and relevant guidance documents. Where appropriate, jurors requiring BSL interpretation may also be invited to a pre-court visit with an interpreter present. This enables them to familiarise themselves with the courtroom, ask questions about the process and discuss their needs, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence before their service begins.

HMCTS keeps operational guidance, training and processes under regular review.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring fairness and accessibility of services for all participants, including deaf jurors.

Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that in the last 12 months, HMCTS is aware of one instance where a juror needing a British Sign Language interpreter was unable to complete their jury service. HMCTS is investigating the circumstances to understand what occurred.

Guidance is in place and is kept under review for HMCTS staff in relation to arranging registered British Sign Language interpreters for jurors.

Deaf relay interpreters are not currently used for juror provision.

The provision of British Sign Language interpreters to the Ministry of Justice is provided by Clarion UK Ltd. Detailed guidance and training is provided to courts and tribunals staff responsible for booking interpreters to ensure they follow the correct processes and book suitably qualified interpreters. The supplier provides confirmation of a booking once an interpreter is allocated and this is monitored throughout the booking duration. The Ministry of Justice maintains strong governance through a dedicated Commercial and Contract Management team, ensuring the provider is held accountable and the service is delivered to agreed standards.

Jurors are proactively updated about changes in booking arrangements, and provided with written induction materials, interpreter oaths and relevant guidance documents. Where appropriate, jurors requiring BSL interpretation may also be invited to a pre-court visit with an interpreter present. This enables them to familiarise themselves with the courtroom, ask questions about the process and discuss their needs, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence before their service begins.

HMCTS keeps operational guidance, training and processes under regular review.

We have confirmed we will be uplifting housing and immigration legal aid fees. Overall spending in these categories will increase by 24% for housing work and 30% for immigration work. This represents a significant investment – the first since 1996 – resulting in an increase of £20 million a year once fully implemented.

We have recently consulted on funding of up to £92 million more a year for criminal legal aid and prison solicitors to help address the ongoing challenges in the criminal justice system. This money is in addition to the £24 million uplift the Government introduced to the criminal duty solicitor scheme.

Following the cyber security incident, our focus has been on restoring Legal Aid Agency services, ensuring access to justice through business continuity, including delegating authority to providers and offering weekly average civil payments. These contingency measures have supported providers to continue to operate and support the public. However, we are committed to implementing the significant fee uplifts in civil and criminal legal aid as soon as operationally possible.

This Government is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of civil legal aid, including family legal aid, and we are keen to work closely with practitioners and their representative bodies to look at how best we can address this.

Between January 2023 and March 2025, the Ministry of Justice undertook a comprehensive review of civil legal aid and concluded a consultation on uplifts to housing and debt, and immigration and asylum legal aid fees, which will inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year once fully implemented.

This investment will help the Government deliver commitments to reduce the asylum backlog, end hotel use, increase returns and ensure the most vulnerable can navigate a complex legal system and access justice.

Whilst there are no immediate plans to increase the fee rate in family law, the Ministry of Justice is looking at other potential changes that could support providers, for example, (civil) contractual requirements regarding provider offices and limits to the provision of remote legal aid that providers say are burdensome. Any changes would aim to give providers more autonomy in meeting client need, while maintaining effective in-person provision for clients who need this.

All civil servants are contractually bound by the Civil Service Code to serve the Government of the day. In HMPPS, this is reinforced through the Outside Activities Policy and the Conduct and Discipline Policy. These require employees to remain politically neutral at all times and to avoid political activity on duty, in uniform or on official premises. Employees are signposted to guidance on conduct for civil servants at each election period and during party conference season to ensure clear expectations of behaviour.

The requirement to adhere to the Civil Service Code is set out in all HMPPS employee's employment contracts. In HMPPS, these standards are reinforced through the Outside Activities and the Conduct and Discipline policies, which set behavioural expectations and how any breaches are handled.

We know that parental imprisonment is recognised as an adverse childhood experience that can have a significant impact on a child’s life chances. This is why the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education are jointly committed to ensuring that all children impacted by parental imprisonment are identified and offered the support they need to thrive.

Earlier this year, Ministers from both Departments convened a roundtable with sector experts to explore how best to support children affected by parental imprisonment. We have also undertaken extensive engagement with the sector, including focus groups with individuals who have lived experience. Their insights are helping to shape and inform our policy proposals.

On 21 August, the Department for Education published their market engagement notice on a Multidisciplinary Training Offer for Professionals, marking an important step towards getting children the support they need. This training will upskill a wide range of professionals on the impact parental imprisonment can have on children and families, reduce stigmatisation of children and families and break down barriers to support.

We remain firmly committed to driving progress on this important agenda, informed by evidence from previous interventions and continued engagement with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector.

We know that parental imprisonment is recognised as an adverse childhood experience that can have a significant impact on a child’s life chances. This is why the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education are jointly committed to ensuring that all children impacted by parental imprisonment are identified and offered the support they need to thrive.

Earlier this year, Ministers from both Departments convened a roundtable with sector experts to explore how best to support children affected by parental imprisonment. We have also undertaken extensive engagement with the sector, including focus groups with individuals who have lived experience. Their insights are helping to shape and inform our policy proposals.

On 21 August, the Department for Education published their market engagement notice on a Multidisciplinary Training Offer for Professionals, marking an important step towards getting children the support they need. This training will upskill a wide range of professionals on the impact parental imprisonment can have on children and families, reduce stigmatisation of children and families and break down barriers to support.

We remain firmly committed to driving progress on this important agenda, informed by evidence from previous interventions and continued engagement with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector.

Between January 2022 and December 2024, a total of 140,104 hours of unpaid work were completed in Lincolnshire.

Data sourced from nDelius on 25/09/2025. While these data have been assured as much as practical, as with any large administrative dataset, the data should not be assumed to be accurate to the last value presented.

Data prior to July 2021 is unable to be reported on, due to difficulty in aligning regions pre and post-unification of the Probation Service. Because of this, we are unable to provide an accurate number of hours completed for 2021.

All 2,405 prison places delivered between July 2024 and 23 August 2025 referred to in Question 73845 were planned prior to 5 July 2025. The Full Business Cases (FBC) for each project were approved by HM Treasury on the following dates:

*Due to the lower cost associated with the re-role of HMYOI Cookham Wood into a category C men’s prison, and departmental delegation levels, approval was given at an internal Board level.

Despite the FBC being granted by HM Treasury before July 2024, I am pleased to confirm that all 2,400 were delivered from 5 July 2024 onwards.

The Children Act 1989 requires the court to have the child’s welfare as its paramount consideration when making a decision about the child’s upbringing. Any decisions the family courts make about the future arrangements for children are based on this fundamental principle.

This Government is delivering a package of reform to the family courts to ensure that children continue to be safeguarded and supported. This includes the expansion of the Pathfinder programme, which promotes child safeguarding through early multi-agency collaboration, expert domestic abuse support, and greater emphasis on the voice of the child.

This Government also recognises the significant impact that delays in court proceedings can have on children and families. That is why it is working to reduce backlogs and improve timeliness, so that children can access the support and stability they need without unnecessary delay. This includes the agreement of system-wide targets by the Family Justice Board for 2025/26, with a continued focus on tackling delay and reducing outstanding caseloads. In public law proceedings relating to children (such as care proceedings), this involves a renewed emphasis on the procedure set out in the Public Law Outline; and in private law proceedings relating to children (such as applications for child arrangements orders), areas delivering the Pathfinder model have made significant progress in addressing delays.

We are also working closely with the Department for Education to support the delivery of their reforms to children’s social care, underpinned by measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The Government will share further plans for reform in due course.

HMCTS staff are trained in processing and verifying probate applications, with systems established to identify and escalate cases that present certain features of concern. These procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure they address emerging issues appropriately.

The Department is reviewing how personal applicants are identified for probate, as part of a wider examination of non-contentious probate rules: https://www.judiciary.uk/guidance-and-resources/working-group-members/.

HMCTS has an established process in place for when a later will is lodged, which requires HMCTS staff to submit the later Will and earlier Will to a Registrar for their directions on how to proceed.

Joint enterprise is not a specific criminal offence. It is a common law doctrine which can apply in situations where two or more individuals have a common purpose to commit any criminal offence.

The Ministry of Justice currently collects information on how many defendants are prosecuted and convicted of specific criminal offences but not whether those crimes are committed as part of a joint enterprise. We are, however, considering the feasibility of collecting data on joint enterprise cases as part of the development of the Common Platform, a criminal justice IT programme.

Following a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) pilot to monitor joint enterprise homicide and attempted homicide cases in February 2023, the CPS implemented a national monitoring scheme in 2024, using a mandatory case management system flag to track such prosecutions and ensure greater oversight. On 23 September, the CPS published its annual report on data collected during the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, which can be found at: CPS Joint Enterprise National Monitoring Scheme 2024-25 | The Crown Prosecution Service.

The number of children at the secure school at the end of each month, to the end of July 2025, is shown in the table below. The average age was 16.

(1) The symbol [x] indicates that the total is five or fewer. Where this is the case, an exact figure is not provided, in order to avoid the risk of identifying individuals.

The number of children at the secure school at the end of each month, to the end of July 2025, is shown in the table below. The average age was 16.

(1) The symbol [x] indicates that the total is five or fewer. Where this is the case, an exact figure is not provided, in order to avoid the risk of identifying individuals.

The latest published statistics for assaults relate to the period up to 31 March 2025. During that period, there were 31 assaults on staff and 10 child-on-child assaults. The total number reported to the police was five or fewer: it is not possible to provide an exact figure, as that would risk identifying individuals.

In the period up to 28 August 2025, 32 weapons were found.

The latest published statistics for assaults relate to the period up to 31 March 2025. During that period, there were 31 assaults on staff and 10 child-on-child assaults. The total number reported to the police was five or fewer: it is not possible to provide an exact figure, as that would risk identifying individuals.

In the period up to 28 August 2025, 32 weapons were found.

The latest published statistics for assaults relate to the period up to 31 March 2025. During that period, there were 31 assaults on staff and 10 child-on-child assaults. The total number reported to the police was five or fewer: it is not possible to provide an exact figure, as that would risk identifying individuals.

In the period up to 28 August 2025, 32 weapons were found.

The latest published statistics for assaults relate to the period up to 31 March 2025. During that period, there were 31 assaults on staff and 10 child-on-child assaults. The total number reported to the police was five or fewer: it is not possible to provide an exact figure, as that would risk identifying individuals.

In the period up to 28 August 2025, 32 weapons were found.

To obtain the requested information, it would be necessary to undertake a detailed examination of all records relating to expenditure on repairs, in order to identify the element attributable to vandalism, and this could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.

Ministers in the Ministry of Justice have had 12 meetings with the Sponsors of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Kim Leadbeater MP and Lord Falconer of Thoroton).

The number of full-time equivalent staff involved in providing technical drafting support and workability advice to the Sponsors of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has fluctuated since January 2025. As of 1 September 2025, there were 3.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) officials in the Ministry of Justice.

Where required, contributions on specific issues may have been sought from other teams; however, the FTE cannot be accurately quantified for these issues.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold the requested information centrally. To obtain this data would require a detailed analysis of the individual case records, which could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

This Government inherited a record court backlog, and we recognise the impact that long waits for trials may have on victims of sexual violence. We are committed to tackling the outstanding caseload to improve timeliness: we have already doubled magistrates’ sentencing powers, so that Crown Courts can focus on the most serious cases and this year we have funded a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days to tackle the outstanding caseload and delays. The record number of sitting days we have funded will mean more rape and other sexual offence cases can be heard.

We recognise victims are impacted when trials do not proceed as planned. The National Witness Service provides support on the day of trial. This may include giving explanations for any delays. Pre-trial, victims can receive support from Victim Liaison Officers, or from Ministry of Justice funded victim support services, throughout the criminal justice journey.

Judicial initiatives to expedite rape and other sexual offence cases are already taking place at a local level, for example, in Bristol and Guilford. The judiciary already prioritise cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses, which includes victims of rape.

However, it is clear that we must go further and do things differently if we are to deliver swifter justice and long-lasting change for victims.  That is why the Government asked Sir Brian Leveson to chair an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, to propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims across the board - including for victims of rape and other sexual offences. Part one of the Review has been published. We will carefully consider Sir Brian’s proposals before setting out the Government’s full response in the Autumn.

Official Statistics (www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics) show that in the period between the end of June 2024 and the end of June 2025, of the 29,341 trials in the Crown Courts, 573 were ineffective due to witness unavailability. This number is down from 673 trials the previous year (June 2023 - June 2024).

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. It is unacceptable that victims and witnesses are waiting years for justice. We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. That is why we took immediate action, funding a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days this financial year. We have also committed to investing up to £92 million more a year in criminal legal aid solicitors and boosted Magistrates’ sentencing powers from 6 to 12 months.

However, fundamental reform is necessary. That is why the previous Lord Chancellor asked Sir Brian Leveson to propose once-in-a-generation reform that will improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swifter justice for victims.

Part one of the Independent Review of Criminal Courts has now been published. We are carefully considering Sir Brian’s proposals and will publish a government response in due course, then introduce legislation when parliamentary time allows. Part two of the Review, considering how the criminal courts can operate as efficiently as possible, is expected to be finalised later this year.

This Government has funded a record number of court sitting days, so that prosecutions, including of rape and other sexual offences, can be heard more efficiently. We commissioned Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts to improve timeliness for victims, and we continue carefully to consider how we can deliver our manifesto commitment to fast-track rape cases.  Alongside this, judicial initiatives to expedite rape and other sexual offence cases are already taking place at a local level – for example, in Bristol and Guildford, and the judiciary already prioritise cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses, which will include victims of rape.

The Government also continues work on our manifesto commitment to introduce free independent legal advice for adult rape victims.

The Government is committed to tackling drug use in prisons, which threatens prison safety and security, undermines our work to rehabilitate prisoners and drives reoffending. We therefore need to have a multi-pronged approach that tackles the supply of drugs, drives down demand and supports recovery – drug testing plays an important role in delivering this.

Random mandatory drug testing (rMDT) forms one part of our wider approach to tackling drug use in prisons. In custody, we also conduct more targeted testing, such as suspicion-based testing, when staff have reason to believe an individual has used drugs illicitly, as well as voluntary testing, which forms part of our approach on our Incentivised Substance Free Living Units, where prisoners sign a compact to remain drug free, receive access to improved conditions compared to a standard wing and are regularly tested. In probation settings, we are expanding our drug testing powers through the Sentencing Bill, meaning that any offender on licence can be tested.

We test for a wide range of substances and keep this under regular review to ensure we identify emerging trends to keep both staff and prisoners safe. Our new drug testing contract supports this by giving us greater flexibility to identify areas for improvement in our drug testing capabilities, ensuring we can keep pace with changing patterns of drug use and target support where it is most needed.

In recent years, levels of rMDT have fallen short across the estate because of staffing constraints, and as a result, volumes have not been sufficient nor consistently high enough to produce publishable data – though results are still used as part of adjudication proceedings. There has been some encouraging progress made in recent months to increase levels, and we will continue to keep performance under close review.

Women’s centres provide vital information, advice and support to women in contact with the criminal justice system, including those serving community sentences.

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) currently funds specialist support for women on probation through Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) delivered by third sector organisations, including providers of women’s centres. HMPPS is committed to ensuring CRS contracts deliver holistic, gender-specific support that meets women’s needs, informed by service users, stakeholders and providers.

The Ministry of Justice is providing a further £7.2 million this year to support the women’s community sector. This funding is aimed at building sustainability, expanding interventions and increasing capacity, including residential provision where needed. Funding for future years is subject to internal allocations.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.