Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024-2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.
Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.
Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers.
People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy.
Over the past year, the Ministry of Justice has delivered targeted recruitment initiatives to support underrepresented groups through our Life Chance Pathways. These schemes are:
Going Forward into Employment scheme and the Probation Employment Pathway, which provide opportunities for prison leavers and individuals with convictions;
Going Forward into Employment Care Leavers pathway, designed for care-experienced individuals; and
Advance into Justice programme, which supports service leavers and veterans.
These pathways provide tailored support and fair access to employment opportunities across the Department for individuals who face barriers to work.
In addition, the Ministry of Justice participates in the Civil Service Care Leaver Internship Scheme (‘Launch’), a cross-Government initiative led by the Department for Education. This scheme provides 18-month Administrative Officer (AO) or Executive Officer (EO) internships to help young care-experienced individuals gain valuable work experience and progress into employment.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve (a) victim support and (b) communication processes with (i) victims and (ii) victims' families within the (A) court system and (B) criminal justice system.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to ensuring victims and victims’ families have the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. Implementation of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 is underway, and once commenced, these measures will help to drive more strategic commissioning of victim support services through the Duty to Collaborate; ensure victims know their rights under the Victims’ Code; and require criminal justice bodies to collect data set out in secondary legislation on how their services comply with the Victims’ Code, which may include information on the victim experience.
The Victims and Courts Bill will 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. The Ministry of Justice is also exploring opportunities to transform how victims access information and experience the justice system through data and digital improvement.
The Ministry of Justice continues to fund victim and witness support services, including ringfenced funding for community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, and core funding to Police and Crime Commissioners. The Department funds the Witness Service which provides emotional and practical support to witnesses in court, to enable them to give their best evidence. The Ministry of Justice also commissions a national Homicide Service which aims to ensure families bereaved by, eyewitnesses of, and children or young people impacted by a homicide or major incident where a crime has caused fatalities, receive the support they need to help them build resilience to cope with the impact of these devastating crimes. This includes support through criminal justice processes.
We continually keep under review Ministry of Justice commissioning of victim support services. The Victims Funding Strategy, published in May 2022, sets out a framework to improve the way Government funds victim support services, seeking to better align and co-ordinate funding to enable victims to receive the support they need.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) victim and (b) family support in the (i) the court system and (b) the criminal justice system.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to ensuring victims and victims’ families have the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. Implementation of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 is underway, and once commenced, these measures will help to drive more strategic commissioning of victim support services through the Duty to Collaborate; ensure victims know their rights under the Victims’ Code; and require criminal justice bodies to collect data set out in secondary legislation on how their services comply with the Victims’ Code, which may include information on the victim experience.
The Victims and Courts Bill will 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. The Ministry of Justice is also exploring opportunities to transform how victims access information and experience the justice system through data and digital improvement.
The Ministry of Justice continues to fund victim and witness support services, including ringfenced funding for community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, and core funding to Police and Crime Commissioners. The Department funds the Witness Service which provides emotional and practical support to witnesses in court, to enable them to give their best evidence. The Ministry of Justice also commissions a national Homicide Service which aims to ensure families bereaved by, eyewitnesses of, and children or young people impacted by a homicide or major incident where a crime has caused fatalities, receive the support they need to help them build resilience to cope with the impact of these devastating crimes. This includes support through criminal justice processes.
We continually keep under review Ministry of Justice commissioning of victim support services. The Victims Funding Strategy, published in May 2022, sets out a framework to improve the way Government funds victim support services, seeking to better align and co-ordinate funding to enable victims to receive the support they need.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving sentences for (a) violent and (b) sexual offences have been transferred to open prisons in the last five years.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The relevant data for this PQ has been attached alongside the answer.
Prisoners are required to pass thorough risk assessments to become eligible for a move into open conditions, and we retain the ability to return prisoners to closed conditions if there is any evidence of an increased risk.
Under the Temporary Presumptive Recategorisation Scheme (TPRS), which aims to improve efficiency across the prison estate, prisoners convicted of all sexual and violent offenders serving a sentence of at least four years are ineligible to move to open conditions.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has any plans to review (a) policies on the transfer of prisoners to open prisons and (b) the eligibility criteria for prisoners to be moved to open prisons.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
There are no current plans to revise the policy on transfer of prisoners to open prisons, or the eligibility criteria. As with all prison categories, this matter is kept under continuous review. Changes may be made, as necessary, to adapt the capacity of the prison estate to changes in the composition of the custodial population.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been granted early parole in each of the last five years; and how many prisoners granted early parole subsequently committed (a) violent and (b) sexual offences in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release.
The information on how many prisoners have been granted parole can be found at: The Parole Board for England & Wales Annual Report 2024/25 - GOV.UK.
We have interpreted ‘subsequently committed (a) violent and (b) sexual offence’ as those qualifying offences under the Probation Serious Further Offence (SFO) Procedures as set out in Annex A of the SFO Policy Framework: Probation Service Serious Further Offence procedures Policy Framework - GOV.UK.
The table below sets out the total number of convictions for a) violent offence or b) a sexual offence, where the offender was released by the Parole Board (either from an indeterminate sentence, an extended sentence or following a recall to custody) and where cases were notified to HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2023.
Year |
|
|
2018-2019 | 16 | 9 |
2019-2020 | 17 | 11 |
2020-2021 | 10 | 5 |
2021-2022 | 18 | 12 |
2022-2023 | 11 | 7 |
Figures are based on conviction data that was produced on 30 September 2024.
Data are based on the year the notification of the SFO was received by HMPPS and not the date of conviction.
Violent and sexual offences are defined by the Serious Further Offences Policy Framework and do not include all violent or sexual offences. The list can be accessed at annex A via the following link Serious_Further_Offences_2024.ods
The number of SFO cases released by the Parole Board include those released from indeterminate sentences, extended sentences for public protection and those released following a recall to custody.
SFO cases don’t necessarily come from the general Parole Board releases. If the Parole Board released people in 2022/23, it does not mean the 2022/23 SFO cases came from those Parole Board releases.
Provisional figures are subject to change as outstanding cases are concluded at court.
Data Sources and Quality. We have drawn these figures from administrative IT systems which, as with some large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Figures are published based on the date of SFO notification (ie, when the offender was charged with an SFO) as received by the National SFO Team in HMPPS. The lag between the date of publication and the conviction figures is to allow time for most cases to complete the criminal justice process. Conviction Figures for 2023/2024 will be published on 30 October 2025.
SFOs are incredibly rare, with fewer than 0.5% of offenders supervised by the Probation Service going on to commit serious further offences but each one is investigated fully so we can take action where necessary.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of excluding people convicted of violent offences from early parole eligibility.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Eligibility for release at the discretion of the Parole Board is determined by the type of sentence a prisoner is serving. All prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence – life or imprisonment for public protection (IPP) – must serve the minimum term in prison set by the judge before they become eligible to be considered for parole. Prisoners serving an extended determinate sentence (EDS) or sentence for offenders of particular concern (SOPC) must serve two-thirds of their custodial term in prison before being referred to the Parole Board to consider release. By their nature, sentences which involve release by the Parole Board are imposed on the most serious and dangerous offenders, including those convicted of violent offences. In all cases, the Parole Board may only direct release if they are satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender remain confined.
The recent Independent Sentencing Review recommended that EDS prisoners should be subject to a new ‘progression model’ but the Government rejected that proposal because we do not think it would be right to allow for prisoners who have been deemed dangerous by the courts to have their parole eligibility date brought forward.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of early parole release decisions on (a) victim wellbeing and (b) public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Most prisoners, even those who have committed serious offences, will become eligible for release once they have served the minimum term of their sentence set by the court. We know that Parole Board decisions can be difficult for victims but we are committed to ensuring victims understand release decisions, can contribute to the process and are supported through it. This support is provided to eligible victims through the Victim Contact Scheme which includes Victim Liaison Officers who offer tailored guidance, keep victims informed, and help them navigate the parole process.
A number of changes have been made to the parole process in recent years including the introduction of decision summaries which can be provided by the Parole Board, the Reconsideration Mechanism (which allows parties to a case to ask for Parole Board decisions to be looked at again), public parole hearings and the ability for victims to apply to observe private hearings. We support these and other measures to improve transparency, victim involvement and public confidence in the system.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking with the Parole Board to ensure that (a) victims and (b) their families have a key role in the decision-making process in early parole release hearings.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. The Ministry of Justice and the Parole Board are committed to ensuring victims, and their families in the case of deceased victims, can participate in and are supported through the parole decision-making process. As part of this commitment, a national policy was rolled out earlier this year to enable victims to apply to observe parole hearings remotely, supported by trained staff from the Victim Contact Scheme. Victims also have the right to submit a Victim Personal Statement, which may be read aloud during the hearing and eligible victims can make representations about licence conditions imposed on offenders when they are released. There is also a process by which victims can make representations to the Secretary of State if they think there are grounds for the Secretary of State to apply for a release decision to be reconsidered by the Parole Board. These measures aim to improve transparency, support victim engagement, and ensure their voices are heard throughout the parole process.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the Parole Board on the involvement of victims in early parole release decisions.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release.
It is important in the parole process that victims’ voices are heard and that they receive information and support to understand how the Parole Board reaches its decisions. We work closely with the Board on victims’ involvement and how to ensure their rights under the Victims’ Code and Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 are being met. This includes the right for victims to submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board explaining how the crime has affected them and their families. Eligible victims may also make representations about licence conditions imposed on offenders when released and, since 1 April 2025, we have worked with the Parole Board on measures to support victims to apply to observe parole hearings. Throughout the process victims are kept updated and given support by their Victim Liaison Officer, where they have signed up to the Victim Contact Scheme operated by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.