Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) reasons for and (b) outcomes of complaints made through the new independent reporting channel in HMPPS were since its establishment.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The new independent reporting channel may consider allegations of bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment or assault, or cases where serious safeguarding concerns are raised. Complaints may be upheld, partially upheld or not upheld, or mediation between parties may be recommended.
A number of cases are still being investigated. As we are still in the process of putting in place a system for analysing data relating to complaints made through the new reporting channel, it is not possible to provide the requested information at this stage.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) prison and (b) probation workers have made complaints through the new independent reporting channel in HMPPS.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
On 10 November 2025, as part of the work to implement the reforms recommended in the Rademaker Review, His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) instituted an interim grievance process through which members of staff can raise complaints about bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation outside of their management line. This complements the existing grievance policy. For the period up to 26 February 2026, 5 complaints were received from staff working in Headquarters, 79 from probation staff and 188 from prison staff.
On 26 January 2026, a new Independent Review, Resolution and Investigations Service (IRRIS) was launched in HMPPS, subsuming the work of the former Tackling Unacceptable Behaviours Unit (TUBU). IRRIS will provide a fully independent route for bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation complaints within HMPPS, operating entirely outside line management structures. It will build upon TUBU’s strong work over the last five years, continuing to provide all the existing TUBU services while significantly enhancing its role.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress he has made on the new independent reporting channel in HMPPS.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
On 10 November 2025, as part of the work to implement the reforms recommended in the Rademaker Review, His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) instituted an interim grievance process through which members of staff can raise complaints about bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation outside of their management line. This complements the existing grievance policy. For the period up to 26 February 2026, 5 complaints were received from staff working in Headquarters, 79 from probation staff and 188 from prison staff.
On 26 January 2026, a new Independent Review, Resolution and Investigations Service (IRRIS) was launched in HMPPS, subsuming the work of the former Tackling Unacceptable Behaviours Unit (TUBU). IRRIS will provide a fully independent route for bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation complaints within HMPPS, operating entirely outside line management structures. It will build upon TUBU’s strong work over the last five years, continuing to provide all the existing TUBU services while significantly enhancing its role.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Welsh Government has made a formal request for the devolution of (a) justice, (b) youth justice, (c) probation and (d) policing.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Welsh Government and Ministry of Justice ministers have met to discuss progressing the manifesto commitments on youth justice and probation. Welsh Government and Ministry of Justice officials continue to work together to progress this.
The Ministry of Justice is not responsible for policing and therefore has not received a request in respect of the devolution of policing.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he can provide an update on the potential establishment of a residential women’s centre in Swansea.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Planning approval for the Residential Women’s Centre at the Trehafod site in Cockett, Swansea, was granted by the Welsh Government’s Planning Environment Decisions Wales in August 2023.
We are continuing to consider how the Residential Women’s Centre in Swansea could be delivered.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of adherence to the Welsh Language Act 1993 in prisons in Wales.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The new HMPPS Welsh Language Scheme (24-27), approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner, and published this month, sets out how the English and Welsh languages will be treated equally when delivering services to the public in line with requirements under the Welsh Language Act 1993. The Scheme commits to publishing an Annual Monitoring Report on progress, the first of which will be published in October 2026.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of retrospectively removing deductions of saved living costs from miscarriage of justice compensation awards made before August 2023.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Individuals who have had their convictions quashed following an out of time appeal are eligible to apply for compensation through the statutory Miscarriages of Justice Application Service. Compensation payments made after 6 August 2023 no longer have saved living expenses deducted. The Government considered the importance of certainty and ensuring the finality of concluded settlements and, in July 2024, decided not to depart from the established principles of public policy under which policy changes apply prospectively only.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using National Insurance numbers to proactively identify veterans in the criminal justice system in order to provide them with appropriate support.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
There is no mechanism for identifying former Armed Forces personnel or any other category of individuals through National Insurance numbers. Those eligible are issued a National Insurance number for the administration of Social Security Benefits, National Insurance and tax only.
However, all newly received prisoners are asked if they have previously served in the Armed Forces as part of the screening process at reception. The Probation Service also uses a self-declaration form to identify former Armed Forces personnel.
Those who choose to report as former members of the Armed Forces are given access to specialist support that is available to them via the armed forces and military charities that work in prisons and in the community.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of veterans therapists' ability to access veteran inmates in Wales to provide PTSD treatment.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Healthcare in Wales is devolved to the Welsh Government, with seven Local Health Boards responsible for the planning and delivery of health services (including mental health therapy, such as PTSD) in prisons across Wales.
A strong partnership exists between HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) in Wales, the Welsh Government and Public Health Wales, underpinned by a 2019 agreement. Regular strategic meetings and local partnership boards ensure that prisoners can access appropriate interventions, including mental health support, through coordinated efforts between prison services and healthcare providers.
HMPPS delivers a range of initiatives to support veterans including via third sector organisations, who provide a prison in-reach service to veterans whilst in custody.