Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to respond to the Freedom of Information request dated 13 August 2025 submitted by the Hon. Member for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice answered this request for information on 17 October 2025.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many repeat offenders in (a) South Staffordshire constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) Wolverhampton were cautioned or sentenced for recordable offences in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of total offences were attributable to such offenders in that period.
Answered by Andrew Selous
The Ministry of Justice’s extract of the Police National Computer (PNC), which is used for analyses of offenders’ criminal histories, only holds information on cautions and convictions given for recordable offences. The information held on MoJ’s extract of the PNC will only allow a breakdown by police force area. To provide you with information at a lower level than this as requested, we would need to contact all courts and police forces in the South Staffordshire constituency, and in the Staffordshire and Wolverhampton areas which could only be done at a disproportionate cost.
The Ministry of Justice can only provide information on repeat offenders by police force area. Staffordshire police force area would include Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent local authorities, and the West Midlands police force area would include Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton local authorities.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many repeat juvenile offenders in (a) South Staffordshire constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) Wolverhampton were cautioned or sentenced for recordable offences in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of total offences were attributable to such offenders in that period.
Answered by Andrew Selous
The Ministry of Justice’s extract of the Police National Computer (PNC), which is used for analyses of offenders’ criminal histories, only holds information on cautions and convictions given for recordable offences. The information held on MoJ’s extract of the PNC will only allow a breakdown by police force area. To provide you with information at a lower level than this as requested, we would need to contact all courts and police forces in the South Staffordshire constituency, and in the Staffordshire and Wolverhampton areas which could only be done at a disproportionate cost.
The Ministry of Justice can only provide information on repeat offenders by police force area. Staffordshire police force area would include Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent local authorities, and the West Midlands police force area would include Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton local authorities.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of assault there were against prison staff at HM Prison Oakwood in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
We do not tolerate violence of any kind in prison and take any instance extremely seriously. We are working closely with the police and CPS to develop a new joint approach to report crimes in prison - this includes pushing for prosecutions when our staff are attacked. We are comprehensively reviewing how we manage violence in prisons to introduce further improvements to ensure prisons are safer places for everyone.
The number of assault on staff incidents at each establishment is published annually in the Safety in Custody Statistics bulletin. The latest figures are in Table 3.15 of the Assaults in Prison Custody 2002-2013 tables which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-in-custody-statistics-quarterly-update-to-december-2013.
Figures for the number of assault on staff incidents in prisons in England and Wales are published in the main Safety in Custody bulletin, also found at the link provided. These national figures are published quarterly with the latest bulletin covering calendar years. The next publication on 31 July 2014 will cover periods April to March.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of assault there were against prison staff at HM Prison Featherstone in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
We do not tolerate violence of any kind in prison and take any instance extremely seriously. We are working closely with the police and CPS to develop a new joint approach to report crimes in prison - this includes pushing for prosecutions when our staff are attacked. We are comprehensively reviewing how we manage violence in prisons to introduce further improvements to ensure prisons are safer places for everyone.
The number of assault on staff incidents at each establishment is published annually in the Safety in Custody Statistics bulletin. The latest figures are in Table 3.15 of the Assaults in Prison Custody 2002-2013 tables which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-in-custody-statistics-quarterly-update-to-december-2013.
Figures for the number of assault on staff incidents in prisons in England and Wales are published in the main Safety in Custody bulletin, also found at the link provided. These national figures are published quarterly with the latest bulletin covering calendar years. The next publication on 31 July 2014 will cover periods April to March.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of assault against prison staff at HM Prison Brinsford there were (a) in 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
We do not tolerate violence of any kind in prison and take any instance extremely seriously. We are working closely with the police and CPS to develop a new joint approach to report crimes in prison - this includes pushing for prosecutions when our staff are attacked. We are comprehensively reviewing how we manage violence in prisons to introduce further improvements to ensure prisons are safer places for everyone.
The number of assault on staff incidents at each establishment is published annually in the Safety in Custody Statistics bulletin. The latest figures are in Table 3.15 of the Assaults in Prison Custody 2002-2013 tables which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-in-custody-statistics-quarterly-update-to-december-2013.
Figures for the number of assault on staff incidents in prisons in England and Wales are published in the main Safety in Custody bulletin, also found at the link provided. These national figures are published quarterly with the latest bulletin covering calendar years. The next publication on 31 July 2014 will cover periods April to March.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of assault there were against prison staff within the boundaries of prisons in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
We do not tolerate violence of any kind in prison and take any instance extremely seriously. We are working closely with the police and CPS to develop a new joint approach to report crimes in prison - this includes pushing for prosecutions when our staff are attacked. We are comprehensively reviewing how we manage violence in prisons to introduce further improvements to ensure prisons are safer places for everyone.
The number of assault on staff incidents at each establishment is published annually in the Safety in Custody Statistics bulletin. The latest figures are in Table 3.15 of the Assaults in Prison Custody 2002-2013 tables which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-in-custody-statistics-quarterly-update-to-december-2013.
Figures for the number of assault on staff incidents in prisons in England and Wales are published in the main Safety in Custody bulletin, also found at the link provided. These national figures are published quarterly with the latest bulletin covering calendar years. The next publication on 31 July 2014 will cover periods April to March.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the perpetrators of assaults against prison staff are appropriately punished.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) takes assaults on prison staff very seriously. There are systems in place to deal with perpetrators quickly and robustly, with serious incidents referred to the police for prosecution.
Prisoners engaging in violent behaviour will be subject to an immediate review of their Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) level. There is a strong presumption that such incidents will lead to an immediate downgrade to Basic level unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Assaults on staff in prison are a particularly serious matter given the need for staff to be able to maintain control and order in what can be a volatile environment. NOMS is working closely with the police and CPS to develop a new joint protocol for the management, reporting and prosecution of crime in prisons. Part of this work will involve the development of more effective measures to enable successful prosecution of prisoners who assault NOMS staff.
NOMS is committed to exploring options to continue to improve how violence is managed in prisons to keep both staff and prisoners safe. It is currently reviewing the policy and practice of the management of violence.
Prison Service Instructions set-out the range of options available to Governors to investigate serious assaults. The Governor must ensure that an appropriate level of investigation is commissioned. They must also ensure that any lessons are learned from the incident and disseminated appropriately, those harmed are supported and perpetrators of harm are sanctioned.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what action he is taking to ensure that incidents of assault against prison staff are being effectively investigated.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) takes assaults on prison staff very seriously. There are systems in place to deal with perpetrators quickly and robustly, with serious incidents referred to the police for prosecution.
Prisoners engaging in violent behaviour will be subject to an immediate review of their Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) level. There is a strong presumption that such incidents will lead to an immediate downgrade to Basic level unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Assaults on staff in prison are a particularly serious matter given the need for staff to be able to maintain control and order in what can be a volatile environment. NOMS is working closely with the police and CPS to develop a new joint protocol for the management, reporting and prosecution of crime in prisons. Part of this work will involve the development of more effective measures to enable successful prosecution of prisoners who assault NOMS staff.
NOMS is committed to exploring options to continue to improve how violence is managed in prisons to keep both staff and prisoners safe. It is currently reviewing the policy and practice of the management of violence.
Prison Service Instructions set-out the range of options available to Governors to investigate serious assaults. The Governor must ensure that an appropriate level of investigation is commissioned. They must also ensure that any lessons are learned from the incident and disseminated appropriately, those harmed are supported and perpetrators of harm are sanctioned.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make representations to the Sentencing Council requesting it to ensure that the strictest possible sentences are given to fly-tippers.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The Government is concerned by the damage to the environment that fly-tipping and other unlawful deposits of waste can cause. That is why it we have provided law enforcement agencies and the courts with powers to deal with such offending.
In regard to sentencing, the independent Sentencing Council conducted a consultation on environmental offences in 2013 and has issued a sentencing guideline for environmental offences which will take effect on 1 July 2014. Judges and magistrates are required to follow the guidelines unless it would not be in the interests of justice to do so.