Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice is a major government department, at the heart of the justice system. We work to protect and advance the principles of justice. Our vision is to deliver a world-class justice system that works for everyone in society.



Secretary of State

 Portrait

David Lammy
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Justice)

Green Party
Siân Berry (Green - Brighton Pavilion)
Green Spokesperson (Justice)

Liberal Democrat
Jess Brown-Fuller (LD - Chichester)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Justice)

Conservative
Nick Timothy (Con - West Suffolk)
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Lord Keen of Elie (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Justice)
Kieran Mullan (Con - Bexhill and Battle)
Shadow Minister (Justice)
Ministers of State
Lord Timpson (Lab - Life peer)
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Sarah Sackman (Lab - Finchley and Golders Green)
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Alex Davies-Jones (Lab - Pontypridd)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Jake Richards (Lab - Rother Valley)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Baroness Levitt (Lab - Life peer)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
There are no upcoming events identified
Debates
Friday 27th February 2026
Select Committee Inquiry
Monday 12th January 2026
Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate

The Justice Committee has launched an inquiry into children and young adults in the secure estate in England and Wales …

Written Answers
Friday 27th February 2026
Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his department has to address the potential misuse of legal …
Secondary Legislation
Thursday 12th February 2026
Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2026
Rule 2 of this instrument makes two amendments to the Parole Board Rules 2019 (S.I. 2019/1038), which set out the …
Bills
Wednesday 25th February 2026
Courts and Tribunals Bill 2024-26
A Bill to Make provision in relation to criminal courts in England and Wales; to make provision about the leadership …
Dept. Publications
Friday 27th February 2026
09:27

Ministry of Justice Commons Appearances

Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs

Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:
  • Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
  • Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
  • Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.

Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue

Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.

Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Feb. 03
Oral Questions
Jan. 05
Urgent Questions
Nov. 27
Westminster Hall
Dec. 16
Adjournment Debate
View All Ministry of Justice Commons Contibutions

Bills currently before Parliament

Ministry of Justice does not have Bills currently before Parliament


Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament

Introduced: 2nd September 2025

A Bill to make provision about the sentencing, release and management after sentencing of offenders; to make provision about bail; to make provision about the removal from the United Kingdom of foreign criminals; and for connected purposes.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 22nd January 2026 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 11th September 2024

A Bill to make provision about the types of things that are not prevented from being objects of personal property rights.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 2nd December 2025 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 1st April 2025

A Bill to Make provision about sentencing guidelines in relation to pre-sentence reports.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 19th June 2025 and was enacted into law.

Ministry of Justice - Secondary Legislation

Rule 2 of this instrument makes two amendments to the Parole Board Rules 2019 (S.I. 2019/1038), which set out the procedure to be adopted by the Parole Board when dealing with cases for release and termination of licences.
These Rules amend the following instruments—
View All Ministry of Justice Secondary Legislation

Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Trending Petitions
Petition Open
199,942 Signatures
(5,077 in the last 7 days)
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2,030 Signatures
(824 in the last 7 days)
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1,369 Signatures
(156 in the last 7 days)
Petitions with most signatures
Petition Open
199,942 Signatures
(5,077 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
6,592 Signatures
(87 in the last 7 days)
Petition Open
6,456 Signatures
(94 in the last 7 days)
Petition Debates Contributed

We call on the Government to urgently review the possible penalties for non-violent offences arising from social media posts, including the use of prison.

103,653
Petition Closed
4 May 2025
closed 9 months, 3 weeks ago

I am calling on the UK government to remove abortion from criminal law so that no pregnant person can be criminalised for procuring their own abortion.

View All Ministry of Justice Petitions

Departmental Select Committee

Justice Committee

Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.

At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.

Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.


11 Members of the Justice Committee
Andy Slaughter Portrait
Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith and Chiswick)
Justice Committee Member since 11th September 2024
Neil Shastri-Hurst Portrait
Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative - Solihull West and Shirley)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Sarah Russell Portrait
Sarah Russell (Labour - Congleton)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Warinder Juss Portrait
Warinder Juss (Labour - Wolverhampton West)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Ashley Fox Portrait
Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Linsey Farnsworth Portrait
Linsey Farnsworth (Labour - Amber Valley)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Pam Cox Portrait
Pam Cox (Labour - Colchester)
Justice Committee Member since 21st October 2024
Tessa Munt Portrait
Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Justice Committee Member since 28th October 2024
Matt Bishop Portrait
Matt Bishop (Labour - Forest of Dean)
Justice Committee Member since 17th March 2025
Tony Vaughan Portrait
Tony Vaughan (Labour - Folkestone and Hythe)
Justice Committee Member since 27th October 2025
Vikki Slade Portrait
Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Justice Committee Member since 13th November 2025
Justice Committee: Previous Inquiries
Constitutional relationship with the Crown Dependencies The work of the Lord Chancellor Coronavirus (COVID-19): The impact on prison, probation and court systems Ageing prison population Joint Enterprise: Follow-Up Mesothelioma claims The work of the Lord Chief Justice The work of the Youth Justice Board Manorial rights The work of the Administrative Justice Forum Women offenders: follow-up session The work of the Secretary of State: one-off Work of the Court of Protection The work of the Judicial Appointments Commission The work of the Parole Board Impact of changes to civil legal aid under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Prisons: planning and policies Scrutiny Hearing: Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints Older Prisoners: follow-up MOJ Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14 and related matters Criminal Cases Review Commission Follow up session on crime reduction policies and Transforming Rehabilitation Pre-appointment of new HM Chief Inspector of CPS Robbery Offences Guideline: Consultation Work of the Justice Committee during the 2010-2015 Parliament Health and safety offences, corporate manslaughter and food safety and hygiene offences guidelines consultation The work of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Work of HM Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service The work of the Attorney General Ministry of Justice report and accounts 2014-15 and related matters Work of Secretary of State for Justice Courts and tribunals fees and charges inquiry Young adult offenders inquiry Restorative justice inquiry Role of the magistracy inquiry Prison safety one-off evidence session Pre-appointment scrutiny Youth Justice Women Offenders Crown Dependencies: developments since 2010 Older prisoners Crime reduction policies: a co-ordinated approach? Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 EU Data Protection Framework Proposals Role of the Probation Service Court closures and other issues within the Minister's remit Operation of the Family Courts Access to Justice Draft Sentencing Guideline: Drug Offences and Burglary The Annual Report of the Sentencing Council Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council Ministry of Justice measures in the JHA block opt-out Prison reform inquiry Legal Services Regulation Criminal justice inspectorates and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Radicalisation in prisons and other prison matters Pre-appointment scrutiny of the Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission Law of homicide Ministry of Justice Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16 The Work of the Secretary of State Work of the Serious Fraud Office Children and young people in custody Disclosure of youth criminal records inquiry Implications of Brexit for the justice system inquiry Work of the Crown Prosecution Service HM Inspectorate of Prisons' relationship with the Ministry of Justice The Lord Chief Justice's report for 2015 Prison reform The work of the Law Commission The work of the sentencing council The Lord Chief Justice's report for 2017 inquiry The work of the Ministry of Justice Work of the Parole Board Young adults in the criminal justice system; and youth custodial estate Pre-legislative scrutiny: draft personal injury discount rate legislation inquiry Transforming Rehabilitation inquiry Prison Population 2022: planning for the future inquiry Employment tribunal fees Work of the Crown Prosecution Service Work of the Serious Fraud Office Work of the Victims' Commissioner Implications of Brexit for the Crown Dependencies inquiry Lord Chief Justice's report 2016 Government consultation on soft tissue injury claims Courts and tribunals fees follow-up Transforming Rehabilitation inquiry Pre-appointment hearing: Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints Personal injury: whiplash and the small claims limits inquiry Work of the Prison Service inquiry The work of the Lord Chancellor inquiry Work of the Victims' Commissioner inquiry Ageing prison population - inquiry Children and young people in custody - inquiry Prison governance inquiry HM Chief Inspector of Probation inquiry The work of the Solicitor General inquiry Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 inquiry Progress in the implementation of the Lammy Review's recommendations inquiry Pre-appointment hearing for HM Chief Inspector of Probation inquiry Court and Tribunal Reforms inquiry Work of the Attorney General inquiry Bailiffs: Enforcement of debt inquiry Serious Fraud Office inquiry Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Prosecution Service - evidence session The Lord Chief Justice's Report for 2018 inquiry The role of the magistracy – follow up inquiry HMP Birmingham inquiry The implications of Brexit for the justice system: follow-up inquiry Pre-commencement hearing: Chair of the Parole Board inquiry Ministry of Justice Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 inquiry Pre-appointment hearing: Prisons and Probation Ombudsman inquiry The work of the Law Commission Criminal legal aid Disclosure of evidence in criminal cases inquiry Small claims limit for personal injury inquiry The transparency of Parole Board decisions and involvement of victims in the process HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on HMP Liverpool Private prosecutions: safeguards The Coroner Service The future of the Probation Service Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Victims Bill Public opinion and understanding of sentencing The prison operational workforce Whiplash Reform and the Official Injury Claim service Future prison population and estate capacity The use of pre-recorded cross-examination under Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 Work of the County Court Regulation of the legal professions The Coroner Service: follow-up Probate Rehabilitation and resettlement: ending the cycle of reoffending Tackling drugs in prisons: supply, demand and treatment Access to Justice Reform of the Family Court Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate Ageing prison population Bailiffs: Enforcement of debt Children and young people in custody Court and Tribunal Reforms Criminal legal aid Work of the Crown Prosecution Service Director of Public Prosecutions Employment tribunal fees HM Inspectorate of Prisons report on HMP Liverpool HMP Birmingham The implications of Brexit for the justice system: follow-up Prison governance HM Chief Inspector of Probation Progress in the implementation of the Lammy Review's recommendations Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 The Lord Chief Justice's Report for 2018 Ministry of Justice Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 Work of the Parole Board Pre-appointment hearing for HM Chief Inspector of Probation Pre-commencement hearing: Chair of the Parole Board Prison Population 2022: planning for the future The role of the magistracy – follow up Serious Fraud Office Transforming Rehabilitation Transparency of Parole Board decisions Work of the Victims' Commissioner Work of the Attorney General The work of the Law Commission The work of the Ministry of Justice The work of the Solicitor General Work of the Serious Fraud Office Young adults in the criminal justice system The work of the Lord Chancellor Work of the Prison Service The Lord Chief Justice's report for 2017 inquiry

50 most recent Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department

20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 116 of the report by the Justice Committee entitled The Coroner Service, published on 27 May 2021, HC 68, when he plans to take legislative steps to introduce this measure.

The Government intends to bring forward the necessary amendments to section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Whilst we have not undertaken a formal impact assessment on timings, there remains a well-established process for applications to be made under section 13, which is available in relevant circumstances. The proposed change builds on that existing framework by enabling the High Court, in appropriate cases, to resolve issues rather than directing that a matter be remitted to a coroner for a fresh inquest. This will provide the court with greater flexibility to ensure that it can fulfil its role as expediently as possible and in a way that best serves the interests of justice.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 116 of the Report published by the Justice Committee entitled The Coroner Service, HC 68, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delaying legislative steps to ensure that Records of Inquest can be amended without the need for a fresh inquest on access to justice for (a) victims and their (b) families.

The Government intends to bring forward the necessary amendments to section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Whilst we have not undertaken a formal impact assessment on timings, there remains a well-established process for applications to be made under section 13, which is available in relevant circumstances. The proposed change builds on that existing framework by enabling the High Court, in appropriate cases, to resolve issues rather than directing that a matter be remitted to a coroner for a fresh inquest. This will provide the court with greater flexibility to ensure that it can fulfil its role as expediently as possible and in a way that best serves the interests of justice.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help support female victims within the courts system.

This Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with victims waiting years for justice. On 25 February 2026, the Deputy Prime Minister announced the Courts and Tribunals Bill, aiming to deliver faster, fairer justice for victims. These reforms are designed to progress cases more quickly through the criminal courts, reduce uncertainty, and increase transparency for victims and witnesses by ensuring more effective triage across the system. We will also implement crucial reforms, recommended by the Law Commission, to ensure that victims are no longer unfairly undermined by evidence in the court room.

This Government is committed to ensuring female victims have the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. We have recently launched a consultation on a new Victims’ Code to ensure we get the foundations for victims right. The Victims and Courts Bill will additionally provide a new route for victims to request information via a dedicated helpline, which will give victims confidence about the routes available to receive information about their offender’s release.

We have made the largest ever investment of £550 million in victim support services over the next three years. The 42 Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales receive annual grant funding from the Ministry of Justice’s victim and witness budget to commission local practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for victims of all crime types. This includes ‘core’ funding, which is for PCCs to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need as well as funding that is ring-fenced for sexual violence and domestic abuse services. Local assessments will incorporate considerations of the volume and needs of female victims of crime.

In addition, we continue to fund the long-standing Witness Service. This provides on-the-day emotional and practical support to witnesses (including those who are victims) to help them give their best evidence. This may include providing information about the court and its processes, facilitating explanations around any delays and accompanying the witness (if allowed by the court) into the court room when they give evidence.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what evaluation criteria he is using to assess the impact of the Domestic Abuse Protection Order pilot on people against whom orders are sought.

Domestic Abuse Protection Order Notices and Orders (DAPNs and DAPOs) have been piloted in selected areas since November 2024, and are being fully evaluated, which will help to inform implementation as the orders are rolled out across England and Wales.

Reoffending and revictimisation are the key criteria for the impact evaluation, which will aim to quantitatively assess whether, and how, the new orders reduce these outcomes. A complementary process evaluation will aim to examine the implementation of DAPNs and DAPOs and explore perceptions of their effectiveness across different stakeholder groups.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to recruit more specialist examiners in HM Courts and Tribunal Service.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service has invested in more staff in 2026, alongside system process improvements and a programme of upskilling new and existing staff to conduct more specialist examiner work. This will improve the timeliness for applications that require referral to a more experienced probate case worker.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of processing times for paper probate application; and what steps he is taking to help improve the processing time for paper applications inline with wait times for digitally submitted applications.

Processing times for paper applications have improved significantly, but we recognise that they need to improve further. Paper applications are often more complex and may require additional enquiries where they cannot be issued on the first examination, which can affect overall timeliness. HM Courts & Tribunals Service has therefore invested in more staff in 2026, alongside system process improvements and a programme of upskilling to improve the processing time for paper applications.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
10th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the decision to require the deletion of the Courtsdesk archive on the principle of open justice and transparency in the justice system.

There has been no deletion of the Courtsdesk “archive”. Under the terms of the agreement between HMCTS and Courtsdesk, Courtsdesk agreed that it would not hold any court data provided to it for more than 6 months. It acted outside the terms of that agreement. The nature of the “archive” it created does not relate to court records, as has been misreported. Courtsdesk has, essentially, created a historic database of court listing information. In any event, we are taking steps, in discussion with Courtsdesk, to resolve issues where possible whilst protect personal data. I met recently with the CEO of Courtsdesk.

Court records have always been, and will remain, available through formal request to the relevant court.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will set out the specific data protection concerns cited by HM Courts & Tribunals Service in its November 2025 cessation notice to Courtsdesk; and what assessment he has made of the reasons that data protection concerns could not be resolved without requiring deletion of the archive.

The concerns which led to the cessation of data sharing with Courtsdesk were based on the unauthorised sharing of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) data with another party outside of the terms of the arrangement. Courtsdesk agreed under the terms of its pilot arrangement with HMCTS not to provide data to another company without notification to or authorisation by HMCTS. It acted outside the terms of that agreement by sharing data with a third-party AI company. The data provided to the other party without authorisation included sensitive, personally identifiable information of individuals involved in criminal cases, such as their full name, address and date of birth.

HMCTS takes seriously its responsibility to handle data safely to protect those people whose data it holds, and this left termination of the arrangement as the most appropriate course of action.

There has been no deletion of the archive

The Ministry of Justice is doing three things: first, we have launched a market engagement exercise for new providers to reuse our data under a new licensing regime (which would be open to Courtsdesk to apply for); second, in the interim, we have contacted Courtsdesk, and I have recently met with its CEO, with a view to potentially reestablishing their service provided they can demonstrate they will comply with our data protection requirements; third, by the end of March we will be expanding the Court and Tribunal Hearings (CaTH) service, an online portal which allows journalists and the public to access and search court-related information. By the end of March, CaTH will include Magistrates’ and Crown Court lists alongside the Civil, Family and Tribunal hearing lists already published.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure timely and accurate access to magistrates court listings and registers for the public and media following the deletion of the Courtsdesk archive.

The starting point is there has been no deletion of the Courtsdesk “archive”.

Magistrates’ court listing and registers data continues to be available online, by email, in courts, and over the phone.

Work is underway to improve the way in which Magistrates and Crown court lists are available. First, we have launched a market engagement exercise for new providers to reuse our data under a new licensing regime (which would be open to Courtsdesk to apply for); second, in the interim, we have contacted Courtsdesk, and I have met with its CEO, with a view to potentially reestablishing their service provided they can demonstrate they will comply with our data protection requirements; third, by the end of March we will be expanding the Court and Tribunal Hearings (CaTH) service, an online portal which allows journalists and the public to access and search court-related information. By the end of March, CaTH will include Magistrates’ and Crown Court lists alongside the Civil, Family and Tribunal hearing lists already published.

Court records have always been, and will remain, available through formal requests to the relevant court.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve co-ordination between court staff, prison staff and policing staff.

The Government recognises the importance of different Departments working collaboratively. The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice chairs the Criminal Justice Board to facilitate collaboration between all criminal justice system partners, including the police, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and HM Prison & Probation Service.

The Ministry of Justice also provides guidance to and opportunities for engagement between Local Criminal Justice Boards.

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 co-ordination between CJS partners and will respond to them in the coming months.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his department has to address the potential misuse of legal proceedings for purposes associated with Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation.

I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on Friday 13 February to Question 111038.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to maintain the CourtsDesk database of court records.

Courtsdesk does not have a database of, or access to, court records. Criminal court case records are held in a variety of places including at individual courts, at The National Archives and by the Ministry of Justice. Neither the Ministry of Justice nor HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) are deleting any court records. They have always been, and will remain, available through formal requests to the relevant court.

Courtsdesk has developed a historic database using courts listing data. There has been no deletion on this database.

The Ministry of Justice is doing three things: first, we have launched a market engagement exercise for new providers to reuse our data under a new licensing regime (which would be open to Courtsdesk to apply for); second, in the interim, we have contacted Courtsdesk, and I have met with its CEO, with a view to potentially reestablishing their service provided they can demonstrate they will comply with our data protection requirements; third, by the end of March we will be expanding the Court and Tribunal Hearings (CaTH) service, an online portal which allows journalists and the public to access and search court-related information. By the end of March, CaTH will include Magistrates’ and Crown Court lists alongside the Civil, Family and Tribunal hearing lists already published.

Court records have always been, and will remain, available through formal request to the relevant court.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, to provide a list of organisations and individuals that are provided court lists containing home addresses and dates of birth of individuals, by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, either centrally or via individual courts.

Home addresses and dates of birth of individuals are not included in Crown Court, County Court, Family Court, High Court, lists of hearings, nor in lists of hearings in the Tribunals.

Standard lists of hearings produced by the Magistrates Court do contain the home addresses and dates of birth of individuals due to appear in court. These lists are only available to approved accredited members of the media, criminal justice partners and other government departments with legitimate reasons for requiring such information.

The names of individuals and organisations provided with court lists, containing home addresses and dates of birth of individuals is not collated or stored centrally.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data protection safeguards are in place in relation to court lists containing home addresses and dates of birth of individuals, being provided to individuals and organisations by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, either centrally or via individual courts.

Home addresses and dates of birth of individuals are not included in Crown Court, County Court, Family Court, High Court, lists of hearings, nor in lists of hearings in the Tribunals.

Standard Lists produced by the Magistrates Court do contain the home addresses and dates of birth of individuals due to appear in court and these lists are only available to approved accredited members of the media, criminal justice partners and other government departments with legitimate reasons for requiring such information.

Standard lists do contain Special Category Data as defined by Data Protection Act 2018. This information is intended to assist the accurate reporting of court proceedings and should be handled appropriately by legal professionals and members of the media.

HMCTS will immediately cease the sharing of this data, if there is concern about how it will be used. Such data is held subject to licencing and can only be shared in agreement with licencing agreements; abiding by those licencing agreements is part of data protection.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Courts and Legal Services of 10 February 2026, Official Report, Column 707, for what reason the data protection breach was sufficient to terminate the contract but did not meet the threshold for an Information Commissioner referral.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to protecting the personal and sensitive information entrusted to us. The agreement which Courtsdesk entered into with HMCTS specified that it would not pass data on to any party other than journalists without the permission of HMCTS. Courtsdesk acted outside the terms of that agreement by sharing data with a third party AI company. It did not seek HMCTS’ permission to use the data in that way. In those circumstances, it was entirely appropriate to suspend the arrangement between HMCTS and Courtsdesk.

Data protection officials considered that the circumstances did not meet the threshold required for referral to the Information Commissioner’s Office. The Ministry of Justice is committed to open justice as well as the responsible use of data and protecting data privacy. Our approach in this matter vindicates those principles.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, to publish how many times court lists containing home addresses and dates of birth of individuals have been provided to organisations and individuals, by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, either centrally or via individual courts broken down by day for every day of the last 12 months.

Home addresses and dates of birth of individuals are not included in Crown Court, County Court, Family Court, High Court, lists of hearings, nor in lists of hearings in the Tribunals.

Standard lists produced by the Magistrates’ Courts do contain the home addresses and dates of birth of individuals. Standard lists are only available to approved accredited members of the media, criminal justice partners and other government departments with legitimate reasons for requiring such information.

The management systems in Magistrates’ Courts do not collate the number of times courts lists containing home addresses and dates of birth of individuals are provided to organisations. This data is not held centrally.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
23rd Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

As the number of individuals is five or fewer, the Ministry of Justice is unable to disclose the figure. This is to protect against the risk that individuals could be identified, in line with our obligations under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Answers of 2 February 2026 to Question 109197, 109198, 109199 and 109200, if he will publish the number of people who were (a) convicted of and (b) did not receive an immediate custodial sentence for a (i) robbery, (ii) burglary, (iii) theft and (iv) sexual offence by year of conviction and individual number of previous conviction for that offence up to a maximum of six convictions, rather than grouping previous convictions.

The breakdown requested for PQ 109197, PQ 109198 and PQ 109199 was provided in PQ response 111800. The data for PQ 109200 is provided in the attached excel table. The table includes data covering the period 2020 – 2024 on:

  • The number of offenders who were convicted of a specified offence but did not receive an immediate custodial sentence, by the number of previous convictions for that specified offence up to a maximum of 6.

As set out in previous responses, this data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a bespoke retrieval from the Police National Computer database.

Previous convictions are already a statutory aggravating factor, with Sentencing Guidelines being clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions, and the time elapsed since the previous convictions.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
20th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is his Department’s timescale for the distribution of updated materials on the Victims Code to police forces; and what assessment has he made of adherence to that timescale.

We launched the consultation on a new Victims’ Code on 5 February, which will be open to responses for 12 weeks. Following consideration of the consultation responses, and any subsequent changes, we will issue a government response and then issue the new Code in accordance with the Parliamentary process set out in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. We will update and distribute revised materials alongside the new Code.

Alex Davies-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for a breakdown of what prison education courses, according to annual delivery plan data, were provided in January (a) 2025, and (b) 2026, by prison, level of qualification and duration.

We are committed to ensuring that prisoners can access high-quality education and skills provision that supports rehabilitation and reduces re-offending.

The curriculum delivered through core education contracts is decided at local level, as is the number of education staff employed. It would not be possible to obtain this information from each prison without incurring disproportionate cost. It should be noted that the majority of teaching staff are employed by external providers.

In the interests of transparency, we intend to publish figures for changes to core education delivery volumes at individual prison level in the coming weeks.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison education staff, according to annual delivery plan data, were employed in January (a) 2025, and (b) 2026, by prison.

We are committed to ensuring that prisoners can access high-quality education and skills provision that supports rehabilitation and reduces re-offending.

The curriculum delivered through core education contracts is decided at local level, as is the number of education staff employed. It would not be possible to obtain this information from each prison without incurring disproportionate cost. It should be noted that the majority of teaching staff are employed by external providers.

In the interests of transparency, we intend to publish figures for changes to core education delivery volumes at individual prison level in the coming weeks.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison education staff were employed in January (a) 2025, and (b) 2026, by prison.

We are committed to ensuring that prisoners can access high-quality education and skills provision that supports rehabilitation and reduces re-offending.

The curriculum delivered through core education contracts is decided at local level, as is the number of education staff employed. It would not be possible to obtain this information from each prison without incurring disproportionate cost. It should be noted that the majority of teaching staff are employed by external providers.

In the interests of transparency, we intend to publish figures for changes to core education delivery volumes at individual prison level in the coming weeks.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
10th Feb 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Timpson on 3 February (HL14086), what plans they have, if any, to use the ethnicity harmonised standards in published statistics; why the Offender Management Statistics use the 6+1 identity code system; and whether they plan to start to use the 18+1 identity code system.

In accordance with the principles embodied in the Code of Practice for Statistics; Trustworthiness, Quality and Value, we keep statistics for publication under continuous review. Uniform standards across Government are applied wherever appropriate, including in the reporting of ethnicity, where it is necessary to balance the benefit of a high level of detail in data gathering, against ease of interpretation for those reporting the information, and the value of consistency in reporting over time.

In the case of Offender Management Statistics, the 18+1 classification is used for the ethnicity information published in the annual prison population tables, which supplement the 6+1 series produced quarterly.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department has issued to conveyancers, the Land Registry, or other stakeholders on the application of perpetuity rules to commercial land instruments following the enactment of the Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009.

No guidance has been issued by the Ministry of Justice since the Act came into force. The explanatory notes to the legislation set out the effects of the changes to the law: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/18/notes/contents.

This is a complex and technical area of law. Individuals should seek independent legal advice on how the Act applies to their unique circumstances.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timetable is for Release on Temporary Licence pilot scheme to be completed.

As set out in the Government’s IPP Action Plan (2025/26), we are progressing work to expand opportunities for IPP sentence progression, including piloting Release on Temporary Licence in Progression Regime Prisons. This work is ongoing, and further details on implementation will be set out in due course.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
12th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what counter-Unmanned Aircraft System capabilities are available to HM Prison and Probation Service staff.

We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the illegal use of drones that deliver contraband so that prisoners have access to a safe and stable rehabilitative environment. Our approach is multi-faceted and includes physical security countermeasures, legislation and working across Government and with international partners on this global issue.

H M Prison & Probation Service uses targeted physical countermeasures, such as improvements to windows, installing specialised netting and grills to prevent drones from delivering contraband into prisons. HMPPS also conducts vulnerability assessments across the estate, to understand the risk and develop and implement plans to mitigate the threat.

We work widely across Government to understand how current and emerging counter-drone capabilities can be used to keep our prisons and the public safe. We are also engaging with international counterparts to develop our learning, support our strategy and share best practice.

We cannot share information about our counter-drone tactics, but HMPPS uses suitable technology, alongside a variety of countermeasures and intelligence tools to prevent drones delivering contraband such as drugs, mobile phones and weapons.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
12th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the press release Battlefield tactics to inspire UK fight against prison drones, published on 16 January 2026, how many prisons across the prison estate currently have access to active counter-UAS capabilities.

We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the illegal use of drones that deliver contraband so that prisoners have access to a safe and stable rehabilitative environment. Our approach is multi-faceted and includes physical security countermeasures, legislation and working across Government and with international partners on this global issue.

H M Prison & Probation Service uses targeted physical countermeasures, such as improvements to windows, installing specialised netting and grills to prevent drones from delivering contraband into prisons. HMPPS also conducts vulnerability assessments across the estate, to understand the risk and develop and implement plans to mitigate the threat.

We work widely across Government to understand how current and emerging counter-drone capabilities can be used to keep our prisons and the public safe. We are also engaging with international counterparts to develop our learning, support our strategy and share best practice.

We cannot share information about our counter-drone tactics, but HMPPS uses suitable technology, alongside a variety of countermeasures and intelligence tools to prevent drones delivering contraband such as drugs, mobile phones and weapons.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
10th Feb 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Timpson on 3 February (HL14086), what steps they are taking to improve data collection for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller prison staff, prisoners, probationers and children.

Work was completed in the summer of 2024 to update systems to capture Gypsy, Roma and Traveller data for Ministry of Justice staff, using the “19+1” approach. This approach uses the standard 19 detailed UK census ethnicity categories, plus one additional category for “Not declared/Prefer not to say”. It enables more detailed analysis, while still allowing data to be grouped into broader ethnicity categories for reporting.

For prisoners, people on probation and children, in addition to the “Gypsy and Irish Traveller” category, “Roma” has been added as an ethnicity option in both prisons and probation data systems with effect from January 2025.

We are currently developing an e-learning product which will be made available to all HMPPS staff by May 2026. It is aimed at improving cultural literacy and the support provided to people from Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Traveller backgrounds in prison, on probation and within the Youth Custody Service. This product includes a focus on supporting people from Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Traveller backgrounds to disclose their ethnicity to prison, probation or Youth Custody Service staff.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those in the criminal justice system benefit from the National Year of Reading.

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.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote literary enrichment in the criminal justice system as part of the National Year of Reading.

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.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that those in the criminal justice system benefit from the National Year of Reading.

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.

Lord Timpson
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the role of Legal Aid in enabling consumers to hold water companies to account for overcharging and environmental damage.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
10th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people who were a) convicted for theft and b) did not receive an immediate custodial sentence were foreign nationals, by year of conviction.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that people in the criminal justice system participate in the National Year of Reading.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to promote literacy enrichment in the criminal justice system as part of the National Year of Reading.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he taking to ensure that people in the criminal justice system can engage with the National Year of Reading.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the press release entitled Battlefield tactics to inspire UK fight against prison drones, published on 16 January 2026, how has he tasked prisons with learning from Ukraine's drone expertise.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the press release entitled Battlefield tactics to inspire UK fight against prison drones, published on 16 January 2026, how will his Department benefit from the £6.5 million UKRI funding available to accelerate anti-drone research and development.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the press release entitled Battlefield tactics to inspire UK fight against prison drones, published on 16 January 2026, what progress has he made in launching high-stakes competitions to develop technologies to help counter the scourge of illegal drones and drugs in prisons.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of mandatory disclosure of unspent criminal convictions on rates of reoffending.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his target number is of Strategic Housing Specialists in women's prisons.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Strategic Housing Specialists have been employed in women's prisons; and whether he plans to increase that number.

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.

Jake Richards
Assistant Whip
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the current number of either-way cases in the present Crown Court backlog that have yet to elect mode of trial.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the proportion of cases in the backlog are still pending the decision of the defendant to elect mode of trial.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has information on the median age of cases that have yet to elect mode of trial.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of either-way cases in the present Crown Court backlog that have yet to elect mode of trial.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the proportion of cases in the backlog are still pending the decision of the defendant to elect mode of trial.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
12th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department holds information on the median age of cases that have yet to elect mode of trial.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
11th Feb 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the percentage of cases in the overall Crown Court backlog are either way cases that would be no longer eligible for jury trial under the government’s proposed reforms.

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.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)