Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will provide an update on his department's work on the national proximity monitoring technology pilot and information on when the pilot is expected to begin.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Government has committed to piloting proximity monitoring technology as part of its wider work to strengthen protections for victims of violence against women and girls. Officials are currently developing the pilot and engaging with key partners across the victims sector, including victims' commissioners and domestic abuse organisations, to ensure the service is informed by victims' experiences and needs, while also defining the technical and operational requirements needed for delivery. The Government remains committed to introducing a proximity monitoring pilot by the end of this Parliament, and further details will be announced as soon as possible.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the total number of prisoners identified as homeless at reception in Welsh prisons in 2025, by each prison in Wales.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

In 2025, 328 prisoners were identified as homeless at reception through OASys Basic Custody Screening assessments completed in Welsh prisons.

The breakdown by establishment was:

HMP Cardiff: 271

HMP Berwyn: 45

HMP Parc: 6

HMP Swansea: 6

HMP Usk: 0

HMP Prescoed: 0

HMP Usk and HMP Prescoed do not operate as reception prisons, with prisoners transferring to these establishments from elsewhere in the prison estate. As a result, there were no prisoners identified as homeless at initial reception into custody at either establishment through this reporting exercise.

Homelessness status is self-reported by prisoners as part of the Basic Custody Screening assessment. The data has been checked to confirm that the figures represent individual prisoners rather than multiple records for the same person. These figures are drawn from raw OASys data and have not been subject to additional quality assurance. The data should be treated as an indication of recorded homelessness at reception rather than a definitive measure of the total number of prisoners who were homeless.

We know those leaving custody with no onward home are more vulnerable, which is why we provide up to 12 weeks of accommodation on release. We also work closely with Welsh Government, councils, charities and employers to secure stable housing and jobs for prison leavers, cutting reoffending and helping them rebuild their lives.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Ministry of Justice’s Safety in custody: quarterly update to December 2025, how many prisoners whose deaths were recorded as self-inflicted in 2025 were from Wales (based on home address prior to entering custody).

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The number of prisoners from Wales (identified on the basis indicated) whose deaths were recorded as self-inflicted in 2025 is 5.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Ministry of Justice’s Safety in custody: quarterly update to December 2025, how many prisoners who self-harmed in the 12 months to December 2025 were from Wales (based on home address prior to entering custody).

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The number of prisoners from Wales (identified on the basis indicated) who self-harmed in 2025 is 848.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2026, to Question 6099, on Foreign Relations, if he will list each Non-Legally Binding Instrument that has been signed by the department and it's Arms Length Bodies since July 2024 other than those subject to the sensitive diplomatic, security or defence interest provisions.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Since July 2024, the Ministry of Justice (including its Arm’s Length Bodies) has agreed the following international, non-legally binding instruments that are not subject to sensitive diplomatic, security or defence interest provisions:

• Signed on 14 November 2024: Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Poland on cooperation in criminal justice matters. Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-between-the-uk-and-poland-on-cooperation-in-criminal-justice-matters

• Signed on 8 May 2025: Memorandum of Cooperation between the UK and Ukraine on supporting Ukraine’s justice sector reforms and strengthening the rule of law. Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-pledges-support-to-strengthen-ukraines-justice-system

• Adopted on 28 May 2025: The European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) recommendations CM/Rec(2025)5 on the protection of the rights and best interests of the child in care proceedings, and CM/Rec(2025)4 on the protection of the rights and best interests of the child in parental separation proceedings. Link: https://www.coe.int/en/web/cdcj/-/adoption-of-two-committee-of-ministers-recommendations-on-the-rights-and-best-interests-of-the-child-in-parental-separation-and-care-proceedings

• Adopted on 4 March 2026: The Council of Europe’s recommendation CM/Rec(2026)2 on ensuring accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. Link: https://search.coe.int/cm?i=09125948802acd83

• Signed on 8 June 2026: Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Latvia on justice cooperation. Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-between-the-uk-and-latvia-on-justice-cooperation

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance is provided to police and victim support services on supporting victims of rural crime in cases where no suspect is charged.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government is committed to ensuring all victims, including victims of rural crime, have access to the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. Under the Victims’ Code, all victims are entitled to information about and referral to victim support services, regardless of whether a suspect has been identified or charged.

While there is no specific national guidance for victims of rural crime, Chief Constables are operationally independent and are best placed to tailor local policing responses to the needs of their communities. The Ministry of Justice funds Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission local victim support services, based on their assessment of local need, including those affected by rural crime.

The Government also recognises the wider challenges of responding to rural crime and therefore collaborated with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office on the 2025-28 Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, published in November 2025. This joined-up approach supports efforts to tackle rural crime. Rural communities will also benefit from the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, helping to address crimes such as anti-social behaviour and county lines activity.

In 2025/26, the Home Office provided the first funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit and are continuing this funding of over £800,000 throughout 2026/27 to help specialist policing units tackle crimes that predominantly affect rural communities.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) accessibility and (b) affordability of legal remedies available to beneficiaries and relatives seeking to challenge an executor or personal representative who they suspect of financial abuse; and whether he plans to review the support available to people who cannot afford the costs of contentious probate proceedings.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The position of personal representative or executor is one of significant responsibility; they are under a statutory duty to administer the deceased person’s estate according to the law and can be held personally liable if they do not.

There are a wide range of safeguards available to hold personal representatives accountable for the performance of their duties. This includes the ability to apply for a court order requiring the personal representative to provide inventory and account, allowing interested parties to understand how the estate has been administered. Applications can also be made to remove an executor, while allegations of criminal offences such as fraud can be investigated by the police.

Where disputes arise, the Government’s recognises the value of mediation in contentious probate proceedings and encourages parties to consider it as route to resolve their dispute. In some instances, the courts will be best placed to resolve a dispute. It is for those adversely affected to decide whether or not to take action.

As with any civil claim, there are costs involved, such as the cost of seeking professional advice. There are several options for support, including contingency fee or litigation funding arrangements, and the “Help with Fees” remissions scheme which is available to eligible users who are less able to reasonably afford to pay a court fee.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 22797 on HMP Liverpool, who is the new contractor that has been identified and by when will a new contractual programme have been confirmed.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Wates have been appointed as the new contractor for the refurbishment project at HMP Liverpool.

Construction work on G-Wing of HMP Liverpool was restarted on 14 September 2026, with assessment work moving at pace for the remaining wings.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 20 July 2026 to Question 16871, how many further such cases involving assaults against emergency workers have been heard and dealt with since 29 June 2026; what the outcome was in each of those cases; and what the outcome was in each of the 64 cases referred to in the Answer as having previously been dealt with.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Between 29 June and 11 September 2026, 118 trial cases involving offences under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 were listed for hearing and 68 have been dealt with.

Of these 67 cases, the outcomes were as follows:

• 17 cases - defendants pleaded guilty

• 15 cases - prosecution offered no evidence

• 8 cases – defendants acquitted after trial

• 13 cases - defendants convicted after trial

• 15 cases - defendants given bind overs.

In this period, 40 cases were also sentenced of which 24 were effective.

The outcome of the 64 cases between 6 April and 29 June 2026 were as follows.

• 19 cases - defendants pleaded guilty

• 15 cases - prosecution offered no evidence

• 17 cases - defendants acquitted after trial

• 6 cases - defendants convicted after trial

• 7 cases - defendants given bind overs.

Those where prosecution offered no evidence or defendants were acquitted after trial did not proceed to another hearing.

It should be noted that the decision to list a case is taken by the independent judiciary. This data has been manually collated from locally held operational records and is unpublished management information. It is not subject to the same level of quality assurance as official published statistics. Figures are subject to change as case records are updated or amended.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the current remaining capacity across the Category A prison estate.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Information on the operational capacity and population of individual prisons is published in the monthly bulletin at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-population-monthly-prison-figures-2026.

Information on which prisons accommodate Category A prisoners is published in the Prison Estate and Probation Service Region Register: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prisons-and-their-resettlement-providers

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the requirement for private enforcement agents to be accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board, or to work for an accredited firm, will come into force; and what sanctions will apply to enforcement agents who operate without the required accreditation.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice is working with the Enforcement Conduct Board and other interested parties to ensure that this reform comes into force as soon as possible. Implementation will require the Government to make amendments to the Certification of Enforcement Agents Regulations 2014 (the Regulations) through a Statutory Instrument (SI), made under sections 64 and 90 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. The SI will be subject to the negative resolution procedure.

Under the Regulations, enforcement agents must apply to the county court for a certificate every two years to demonstrate that they meet the criteria to use the Taking Control of Goods procedure. If they do not meet the requirement regarding accreditation by the Enforcement Conduct Board, they will not be able to obtain or retain a certificate. In addition, a complaint can be made to the court, at any time, about an enforcement agent’s fitness to operate, which if upheld can lead to an agent’s certificate being removed. It is criminal offence to act as an enforcement agent without a valid certificate.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many parental order applications in each of the last 10 years involved payments to a surrogate which exceeded what the court considered to be reasonable expenses, and in how many such cases the additional payments were authorised retrospectively.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2026 to Question 15270, on Speed Limits: Cameras, which body holds information on the revenue directed from motoring fines into the Consolidated Fund.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Receipts from fixed penalty notices (FPNs) including those issued for speeding offences and penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) are issued by the Police and collected by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and accounted for in the annual HMCTS Trust Statement. By statute, these receipts are due to the Consolidated Fund; however, HM Treasury has agreed that annually £30 million of the receipts from paid FPNs plus an additional £10 per paid PND should be ring fenced for use by victim services. The remaining receipts, under the latest HM Treasury spending review, are to be retained by the Ministry of Justice and form part of their overall funding settlement.

In 2025-26, HMCTS collected £144.4 million from paid FPNs and PNDs of which £30.017 million was ring fenced to victim services and the remaining £114 million was retained by the Ministry of Justice.

The link to the latest published HMCTS Trust Statement is here: Trust Report 2025-26.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what prison category and capacity will the new prison at Grendon be.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The new prison near HMP Garth will be a category C resettlement prison that will hold 1,715 prisoners.

The new prison near HMP Grendon will be a category C resettlement prison that will hold 1,468 prisoners.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what prison category and capacity will the new prison at Garth be.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The new prison near HMP Garth will be a category C resettlement prison that will hold 1,715 prisoners.

The new prison near HMP Grendon will be a category C resettlement prison that will hold 1,468 prisoners.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the City of London Police figures published on 7 September 2026 on fraud by abuse of position, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing safeguards against the financial abuse of older and vulnerable people through (a) powers of attorney and (b) the administration of estates.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government recognises concerns about the financial abuse of older and vulnerable people, including abuse by individuals in positions of trust, and is committed to taking action under the Fraud Strategy 2026-2029.

The law contains a range of safeguards to protect older and vulnerable people from financial abuse in relation to powers of attorney. Lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) require a certificate provider to confirm there was no fraud or undue pressure in making the LPA, and they must be registered by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before use. OPG can investigate concerns about how attorneys exercise their powers, and where necessary will refer matters to the Court of Protection, local authorities or the police.

However, where no LPA exists, for example if an individual is falsely claiming to act under a power of attorney, responsibility sits with the relevant organisation, such as a bank, to undertake appropriate checks before accepting the individual’s authority. The Government’s modernising LPA project will further increase protections by giving legal status to OPG’s use and view service, which allows parties to check the status of an LPA in real time.

The law similarly contains a range of safeguards in relation to wills and the administration of estates. For a will to be valid, the testator must have the required testamentary capacity, intend the document to operate as their will, understand and approve its contents, and make it free from undue influence, fraud or forgery. The validity of a will may be challenged before the courts on any of these grounds. Personal representatives and executors are also under a legal duty to administer estates properly and may be subject to court action, including being removed or replaced by the court, or to criminal investigation where misconduct or fraud is alleged.

The Government is currently considering the recommendations made by the Modernising Wills Law report published by the Law Commission in 2025 (Modernising wills: Final report – Law Commission), including recommendations intended to strengthen protections for vulnerable testators, and will respond in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether probabilistic record linkage tools, used by the Department or its agencies automatically link records relating to individuals where a predefined confidence threshold is met; and what human review is undertaken before such linked records are used for operational purposes.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice uses Splink, a probabilistic record linkage tool created in the Department, across a variety of services and analytical applications.

Where the match score exceeds a certain threshold, records are typically linked automatically, without human review. The score threshold varies according to use case and is set following assessment of accuracy required for the intended purpose, including where linked records may support operational processes.

Before a linking model is deployed, human review is undertaken on a sample of recorded pairs to assess linkage accuracy inform selection of an appropriate confidence threshold. Linkage performance is subsequently monitored, and threshold and matching algorithms are adjusted where necessary in response to identified issues or changes in data quality.

In addition, record linkage projects are subjected to appropriate governance and ethical overview, including through the Ministry of Justice AI and Data Science Ethics Framework.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken for Child Arrangements Order proceedings on children's relationships with parents from whom they are not receiving contact.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

We recognise the significant impact that lengthy proceedings can have on children and families, and we are committed to improving timeliness private law proceedings. In March, the Government announced the national rollout of Child Focused Courts across England and Wales by March 2029.

The Child Focused Model focuses on early identification of risk, increased engagement with children and bespoke support for victims, all within a streamlined court process. Evidence from areas already delivering the model shows cases are being resolved up to twice as fast as the national average.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether probabilistic record-linkage tools used by the Department are used to link records relating to individuals across departmental boundaries; and what assessment he has made of the potential implications for individuals of being automatically included within, or excluded from, such cross-departmental linked identities.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice mostly uses probabilistic record-linkage tools to link internal administrative datasets (such as court, prison and probation data), while most linking across departmental boundaries uses deterministic linking. However, there are a small number of projects that use probabilistic matching across departmental boundaries for analytical and research purposes, such as:

• Crown Prosecution Service data has recently been linked probabilistically to prisons and probation data, as part of work to join up data across the criminal justice system to improve understanding of the whole end-to-end system.

• Prisoner and family relationship data was linked with HMRC Child Benefit records to estimate the number of children affected by parental imprisonment.

The results of this linking are used for analytical and research purposes, informing policymakers with better quality evidence rather than informing decisions at an individual level.

All data-linking activity is subject to the Ministry of Justice's established governance arrangements, including completion of a Data Protection Impact Assessment where required and engagement with the Ministry of Justice AI & Data Science Ethics Framework. These processes consider a wider range of ethical, legal and data protection issues including the potential implications for individuals of being included within, or excluded from, linked datasets.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of safeguards against financial abuse where an individual (a) falsely represents that they hold power of attorney for another person during that person's lifetime and (b) subsequently acts as executor or personal representative of that person's estate.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government recognises concerns about the financial abuse of older and vulnerable people, including abuse by individuals in positions of trust, and is committed to taking action under the Fraud Strategy 2026-2029.

The law contains a range of safeguards to protect older and vulnerable people from financial abuse in relation to powers of attorney. Lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) require a certificate provider to confirm there was no fraud or undue pressure in making the LPA, and they must be registered by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before use. OPG can investigate concerns about how attorneys exercise their powers, and where necessary will refer matters to the Court of Protection, local authorities or the police.

However, where no LPA exists, for example if an individual is falsely claiming to act under a power of attorney, responsibility sits with the relevant organisation, such as a bank, to undertake appropriate checks before accepting the individual’s authority. The Government’s modernising LPA project will further increase protections by giving legal status to OPG’s use and view service, which allows parties to check the status of an LPA in real time.

The law similarly contains a range of safeguards in relation to wills and the administration of estates. For a will to be valid, the testator must have the required testamentary capacity, intend the document to operate as their will, understand and approve its contents, and make it free from undue influence, fraud or forgery. The validity of a will may be challenged before the courts on any of these grounds. Personal representatives and executors are also under a legal duty to administer estates properly and may be subject to court action, including being removed or replaced by the court, or to criminal investigation where misconduct or fraud is alleged.

The Government is currently considering the recommendations made by the Modernising Wills Law report published by the Law Commission in 2025 (Modernising wills: Final report – Law Commission), including recommendations intended to strengthen protections for vulnerable testators, and will respond in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2026 to Question 21974, have there been any instances where an uncle/niece or aunt/nephew marriage which falls within the prohibited degrees of relationship under the Marriage Act 1949 have been recognised.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice does not collect data on the recognition of particular types of marriage.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for Child Arrangements Order proceedings in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice is committed to improving timeliness in child arrangement proceedings, and the Family Justice Board regularly monitors timeliness data against performance targets it has set both regionally and nationally.

The roll out of Child Focused Courts represents a significant reform to family private law. Families benefit from a streamlined, problem-solving approach which brings forward a holistic assessment of needs and risks and enables the court to make safe decisions without delay.

Data from the 10 areas already operating the model shows cases are being resolved up to twice as fast as the national average, and outstanding cases have fallen by over 50%. Although the model is not yet operational in Surrey, the Government recently announced the national rollout of Child Focused Courts across England and Wales by March 2029. As part of a phased approach to rollout, we will work to ensure all areas are preparing for implementation of the model.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the mandatory retirement age for magistrates.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The mandatory retirement age for judicial office holders, including magistrates, was increased from 70 to 75 in March 2022. 797 magistrates aged 70 or over were reinstated as a result of the policy change, and as of 1 April 2026 1,933 magistrates in post were aged 70 or over. Some internal analysis of the impacts of raising the retirement age has been carried out and found that the policy had met its main aim of retaining experienced judicial office holders and supporting court capacity in the short term. The Government has no current plans to review the mandatory retirement age for magistrates. A fixed retirement age supports judicial independence and public confidence in the judiciary by avoiding the need for individual assessments of the health or competency of judicial office holders.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2026 to Question 21974 on Social Security Benefits: Polygamy, if he will publish the required conditions under which an an overseas polygamous marriage is recognised under the law of England and Wales.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The law on the recognition of overseas marriage in matters for which the Lord Chancellor has policy responsibility is principally found in the common law.

Under the common law, an overseas marriage is normally recognised if it complied with the requirements for the form of the ceremony where it took place (meaning by whom, where, when and how it was conducted) and if both parties had capacity to marry according to the law of their domicile (home country).

If a party to the marriage was domiciled in England and Wales and had a spouse or civil partner at the time of the marriage, the marriage will be void under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. The court may also consider additional matters in deciding on recognition.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the minimum service expectation for newly appointed magistrates on trends in the level of applications from people aged over 70.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of the minimum service expectation on applications from people aged over 70. The expectation that newly appointed magistrates are able to serve for at least five years reflects the significant investment in recruitment, training and mentoring, and supports effective workforce planning. Candidates are encouraged to apply before their 70th birthday so that they can serve until the mandatory retirement age of 75, which was increased from 70 in 2022.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of allowing magistrates to serve beyond the mandatory retirement age, subject to an assessment of their fitness and suitability to serve.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The mandatory retirement age applies to judicial office holders, including magistrates, and was increased from 70 to 75 in March 2022. The Government has no current plans to allow magistrates to serve beyond the mandatory retirement age. A consistent retirement age across the judiciary supports judicial independence and public confidence by avoiding the need for individual assessments of the health, fitness or suitability of judicial office holders.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2026 to Question 21974 on Social Security Benefits: Polygamy, whether there is a statute law basis for recognising a polygamous marriage in England and Wales.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

In areas for which the Lord Chancellor has policy responsibility, the court will normally apply common law rules to determine whether an overseas marriage (including a polygamous marriage) is recognised in England and Wales.

The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 reinforces the common law rules on capacity to enter into an overseas marriage.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) treatment and (b) accredited behavioural interventions are available to individuals convicted of (i) stalking and (ii) exhibiting fixated behaviour in (A) custody and (B) while under supervision in the community.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Stalking is a crime characterised by a range of types of behaviour, with complex and varying motivations. No single intervention should be considered a ‘solution’ to stalking behaviour. The interventions appropriate to address the offending behaviour of each individual are determined by professional assessment of their risks and rehabilitative needs.

“Building Choices” is an accredited offending behaviour programme designed for adult (18+) men and women in custody and on probation. It is designed to address the dynamic risk factors associated with offending behaviour rather than targeting specific offence types or behaviours and is based on the principle that people offend for a variety of reasons, with effective rehabilitation therefore requiring intervention to target risk factors predictive of future risk of re-offending.

Building Choices is not built around specific types of behaviour, but by the risk factors relevant to each individual. These include:

• cognitive factors, including rigid thinking patterns and pro-criminal or offence-supportive attitudes

• self-management factors, including emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, poor coping strategies and problem-solving difficulties

• relationship factors, including difficulties with interpersonal and intimacy skills, and association with pro-criminal peers

• additional dynamic risk factors relating to low-level offence-related sexual interests and sexual pre-occupation, where relevant.

In addition to accredited interventions, H M Prison and Probation regions can commission non-accredited rehabilitative interventions to address specific needs. These interventions target changes in attitudes, thinking patterns, emotional regulation, and behaviour where there is an assessed need to do so. Such interventions are typically focused on addressing the underlying drivers of offending behaviour and are not usually specific to offence types.

In a small number of cases, where assessment indicates a continuing and significant risk of stalking-related harm, and where established intervention pathways are not considered suitable or have been exhausted, psychology services may provide individually tailored, formulation-driven consultation and intervention. Such work is typically focused on understanding and managing the specific drivers of stalking or fixated behaviour, reducing risk, and supporting multi-agency risk management arrangements.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders currently serving standard determinate sentences for offences related to domestic abuse may become eligible for release after serving one third of their sentence under the proposed sentencing reforms; and how many such offenders are managed by probation services in the West Midlands.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Changes to the Progression model announced this summer has excluded many more crimes, building on the 18,000 prisoners who were already excluded.  Sadly, the scale of the prison crisis inherited in 2024 does mean difficult action is needed after a net increase of just 500 prison places in the previous 14 years.

We have already opened 3,300 prison cells since the election and we are investing £700 million in probation and community services to manage offenders with a strengthened package of measures including a presumption of electronic monitoring for progression model releases, full rollout of Domestic Abuse Perpetrators on Licence GPS monitoring, and enhanced supervision safeguards which prevent domestic abuse offenders from being allocated to the lowest supervision tiers. Measures will be applied on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are necessary and proportionate to the risk presented.

Information on releases from determinate sentences is published in the Ministry of Justice's quarterly Offender Management Statistics. However, there is no single domestic abuse offence defined in legislation as domestic abuse can be associated with a wide range of criminal offences. From 5 October 2026, the Judicial Finding of Domestic Abuse requires courts to formally identify where domestic abuse was a factor in offending. This will improve the identification and management of domestic abuse offenders and respond to the risks they pose.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what risk assessment is carried out on offenders convicted of stalking and exhibiting fixated behaviour before they are released from custody, including under early release arrangements; and what steps he is taking to help safeguard victims on their release.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Before offenders convicted of stalking, which may have involved exhibiting fixated behaviour, are released from custody, including under early release arrangements, probation practitioners will conduct a thorough risk assessment, taking account of information which they receive from enquiries made of the Police in order to identify the licence conditions and other controls needed to manage the risks which offenders present to their victims and to the general public. Probation practitioners will also take account of representations which victims make to their victim liaison officers as to the conditions they wish included in the post-release licence, for their protection and peace of mind. In the more complex cases, practitioners will also take into account a specialist assessment produced by a qualified psychologist.

Offenders released on licence are subject to a set of standard licence conditions and, where necessary to manage risk and protect victims, they may also be made subject to additional conditions such as exclusion zones, non-contact conditions and location monitoring. If they breach these conditions and risk is no longer manageable in the community, they may be recalled to prison.

From October, new tougher powers will include restriction zones, and the ability to prohibit offenders from driving, attending public events, or entering pubs, clubs and bars.

To support victims affected or concerned about prisoner releases, we will create a national helpline, offering emotional support, practical advice such as safety planning, and signposting to onward services.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to stop the use and depiction of (a) actual and (b) doll babies in explicit pornographic online content.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

A range of criminal offences may apply where material depicts, or appears to depict, a child in a sexualised or pornographic context, including offences relating to indecent images of children under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Whether an offence has been committed will depend on the specific facts of the case, including the nature of the material and the context in which it was created, shared, or possessed.

In addition, offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 may also be relevant where the circumstances indicate that sexual activity involving or in the presence of a child has taken place.

The Online Safety Act 2023 also places robust duties on online platforms to tackle illegal content, including child sexual abuse material.

The Government keeps the criminal law under review to ensure children are appropriately protected and remains committed to tackling all forms of child sexual abuse wherever they occur.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what minimum period of notice will be given to victims before the release of a domestic abuse offender under proposed sentencing arrangements; and whether a new domestic abuse risk assessment will be mandatory before such an offender is released.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Sentencing Act 2026 contains provisions which change the proportion of a standard determinate sentence which must be served in prison before the offender serving such a sentence is released automatically on licence. This is known as the Earned Progression Model.

Eligible victims who opt into the Probation Service Victim Contact Scheme are informed of an offender's release date and have the opportunity to make representations about licence conditions before release. There is no statutory minimum notice period.

For releases under the Earned Progression Model, victim notification letters, confirming whether a release date had been changed, began to be issued from 1 September 2026 in tranche order. Victims in the earliest release tranches have generally been provided with around four weeks' notice, broadly in line with normal pre-release arrangements, with those in later tranches receiving a longer notice period. Victims are informed of licence condition decisions prior to release, and any approved protective measures, such as exclusion zones or non-contact requirements, take effect from the point of release.

Before offenders convicted of domestic abuse are released from custody, including under early release arrangements, probation practitioners will conduct a thorough risk assessment, taking account of information which they receive from enquiries made of the Police in order to identify the licence conditions and other controls needed to manage the risks which offenders present to their victims and to the general public.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Welsh people (based on home address prior to entering custody) were held in prison on remand in England and Wales in (a) March, (b) June, (c) September, and (d) December of 2025, by origin local authority based on home address prior to entering custody.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information has been provided as an Excel file alongside this response.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people with a home address in Wales prior to entering custody were in prison in (a) March, (b) June, (c) September, and (d) December of 2025 were categorised as (i) Category A, (ii) Category B, (iii) Category C, (iv) Category D, and (v) on remand.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information has been provided as an Excel file alongside this response.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people with a home address in Wales prior to entering custody were held in prison on remand in England and Wales in (a) March, (b) June, (c) September, and (d) December of 2025, by establishment.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The requested information has been provided as an Excel file alongside this response.

Change the law to prevent people convicted of serious offences from concealing their criminal history through name changes, including after release from prison.

We want the Government to create an independent statutory oversight body for the family justice system, with powers to examine any failures across the judiciary, Cafcass, social care, complaints and appeals, and make recommendations to improve transparency, accountability and public confidence.

Make victim surcharges discretionary when an offence causes no direct loss, injury or trauma to an identifiable victim. Victim services need proper funding, but automatically charging people in victimless cases is misleading and unfair. Courts should decide when the surcharge is justified.

The Government should mandate toxicology investigations for every sudden, unexpected or unexplained death, including suspected suicides, to ensure consistent, scientific, and reliable investigations. We believe coroners should not have discretion to omit essential evidence.

Require all legal instruments, court communications, and official legal interfaces to include a prominent disclaimer stating that the text is written in legal terminology ("legalese"), where words hold precise, technical meanings distinct from everyday language.

We want the Government to introduce legislation making it illegal to use children or their likeness in advertising, promotional material or social-media content to promote commercial pornography or adult-content businesses, including where the material featuring the child is not sexually explicit.

We want the Government to amend the Family Law Act 1996 to expressly provide that “molestation” can include unwanted contact made through, encouraged through, or facilitated by a third party connected to the respondent, whether or not that contact is threatening.

Found: T +4420 3334 3555 F +44870 761 7753 E https://contact-moj.service.justice.gov.uk/ www.gov.uk/moj

Found: T +4420 3334 3555 F +44870 761 7753 https://contact-moj.service.justice.gov.uk/ www.gov.uk/moj 102

Found: Ministry of Justice piloted a juror therapy scheme in 15 Crown Courts.

Found: However, this has improved since 2024, where the Ministry of Justice announced enhanced support including

Found: The recent Ministry of Justice pilot providing a 24-hour helpline and access to free counselling represents

Found: We have worked with the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts & Tribunals Service on issues relating to

Found: In 2024-25, there was a Ministry of Justice pilot of a therapy scheme called ‘Enhanced Support for Jurors

Found: to support this work, and would gladly act as a standing resource to the Committee, HMCTS and the MoJ

Found: More clarity for mental health professionals regarding contempt of court.” 51 ibid p. 431.The Ministry of Justice

Found: Recently, the Ministry of Justice provided a free 24-hour counselling helpline to provide specialised

Found: SFJ0028 - Support for Jurors Ministry of Justice Written Evidence

Found: .  The Ministry of Justice has resisted the concept of a consistent duty of care owed towards all workers

Found: The Youth Engagement Fund (YEF), jointly funded by the Office for Civil Society, DWP and MoJ, supported

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has (a) made an assessment of the underlying causes of the gender pension gap and (b) considered developing a cross-government strategy to address those causes and reduce the gap.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that the gender pensions gap reflects a range of factors, including differences in earnings, working patterns, labour market participation and the accumulation of private pension savings over working lives.

The Department for Work and Pensions has assessed differences in pension outcomes between men and women through its published analysis of the Gender Pensions Gap in Private Pensions: 2020 to 2022, which found that the Gender Pensions Gap for those approaching retirement (aged between 55 and 59) between 2020 and 2022 stood at 48%. This publication also highlights underlying causes of the gender pension gap and that the differences in pension outcomes between men and women become most apparent once women reach their 30’s, a trend driven by childcare responsibilities.

A range of activity is already underway across Government that could help improve pension outcomes for women. This includes a Government review of the parental leave and pay system and the appointment of Mariella Frostrup as Women’s Employment Ambassador in April 2026. The Ministry of Justice has also consulted on proposals to support greater use of pension sharing on divorce, where appropriate.

The Pensions Commission is exploring how to improve retirement outcomes, especially for those on the lowest incomes and at the greatest risk of poverty or under saving, including women. The Government will consider their recommendations carefully on publication of the Pension Commission’s final report in early 2027.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of career breaks and periods out of paid employment on women’s pension savings and retirement outcomes.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that the gender pensions gap reflects a range of factors, including differences in earnings, working patterns, labour market participation and the accumulation of private pension savings over working lives.

The Department for Work and Pensions has assessed differences in pension outcomes between men and women through its published analysis of the Gender Pensions Gap in Private Pensions: 2020 to 2022, which found that the Gender Pensions Gap for those approaching retirement (aged between 55 and 59) between 2020 and 2022 stood at 48%. This publication also highlights underlying causes of the gender pension gap and that the differences in pension outcomes between men and women become most apparent once women reach their 30’s, a trend driven by childcare responsibilities.

A range of activity is already underway across Government that could help improve pension outcomes for women. This includes a Government review of the parental leave and pay system and the appointment of Mariella Frostrup as Women’s Employment Ambassador in April 2026. The Ministry of Justice has also consulted on proposals to support greater use of pension sharing on divorce, where appropriate.

The Pensions Commission is exploring how to improve retirement outcomes, especially for those on the lowest incomes and at the greatest risk of poverty or under saving, including women. The Government will consider their recommendations carefully on publication of the Pension Commission’s final report in early 2027.

Found: Court backlogs, such as extending sitting hours, increasing the number of sitting days, 1 Ministry of Justice

Found: through workforce planning  Work in progress Scheduled: Autumn 2027 Departments: Ministry of Justice

Found: gravity matrix to be eligible for a conditional caution2. 2 Full details can be found in the Ministry of Justice

Found: matrix to be eligible for a conditional caution2. 3 2 Full details can be found in the Ministry of Justice

Found: probation and in the secure NHS estate in England’ Department of Health and Social Care and Ministry of Justice

Found: Data on releases only go up to March 2026, as these are the latest data published in the MoJ Offender

Found: Data on releases only go up to March 2026, as these are the latest data published in the MoJ Offender

Found: 2025 to 2026, Sean Pearce from the Department for Work and Pensions, and Joan Lewis from the Ministry of Justice

Found: Government Major Projects Portfolio – Accounting Officer Assessments Ministry of Justice

Found: Government Major Projects Portfolio – Accounting Officer Assessments Ministry of Justice

Found: of Lancaster Elveden Estate Holkham Estate Homes England LocatED Ministry of Defence Ministry of Justice

Found: • Workplace Adjustment provider (Civil Service Workplace Adjustments Team) • HR casework providers (MoJ

Found: Beaminster Way East Kingston Park NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE United Kingdom NE3 2ER Wider Public Sector 10035715 MOJ

Found: Beaminster Way East Kingston Park NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE United Kingdom NE3 2ER Wider Public Sector 10035715 MOJ

Found: rating) Skilled Worker Ministry of Hope Ltd London Temporary Worker (A rating) Creative Worker Ministry of Justice

Found: rating) Skilled Worker Ministry of Hope Ltd London Temporary Worker (A rating) Creative Worker Ministry of Justice

Found: This is Ministry of Justice legislation binding on the whole bailiff industry in England and Wales. 14.2

Found: Provision, and the Pension Fund, the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories, the Ministry of Justice

Found: Investigations have been launched, and authorities, including POW camp staff and the Ministry of Justice

Found: See CrimPR 3.9(3)(b), R v Cox, R (OP) v Ministry of Justice [2014] EWHC 1944 (Admin) and R v Rashid

Found: proceedings: guidance on interviewing victims and witnesses, and guidance on using special measures Ministry of Justice

Found: Darren Churchward Evaluation Lead, Ministry of Justice Darren has worked in multiple research

Found: 2020 - para 5.2 amended. 11/11/2021 - Updates including to the evidence section, responsibilities of MOJ

Found: HR Policy Team 01/06/2014 31/05/2015 Sept 2024 – cancelled and replaced by a new pan-MoJ Supporting

Found: Rules 2000 & the Prison Young 109 31/10/2000 New Contact 11/05/2017 – [email protected] MoJ

Found: NOTES 19/1997 Voting Provisions for Prisoners 4650 Administration Group New contact 11/05/17 – MoJ

Found: Framework Example organisations: Ministry of Defence, Government Property Agency, HMRC, Ministry of Justice

Found: Check PF, Licence Conditions PF throughout document • Honour Based Abuse legislation added (2.6) • MOJ

Found: Contacts Press enquiries should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office.

Found: track and the SSRB expects to finalise its advice and complete drafting for submission to the Ministry of Justice

Found: Lord Timpson - former Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Ministry of Justice