Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many assaults on staff by prisoners have taken place at (a) HMP Downview and (b) HMP High Down in Banstead in the last 12 months.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The latest data on assaults on staff, broken down by prison, covers the year up to December 2024. It is published in table 8e of the Safety in Custody summary tables to December 2024, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-december-2024.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many biological males are held in HMP Downview.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As of 1 July, seven prisoners were being held on E Wing, the separate unit for transgender women at HMP/YOI Downview. There were no transgender women being held in other parts of the prison.
We are reviewing allocation policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes in our approach in due course.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has reviewed the validity of its insurance policies for HMP Downview, in the context of the imprisonment of biological males at that prison.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In line with HM Treasury’s guidance Managing Public Money, HMPPS does not buy general commercial insurance to protect against risk.
In line with HM Treasury guidance, HMP/YOI Downview has not taken out commercial insurance on the basis that it is better value for money for the taxpayer to cover its own risks.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the requirement for applicants to demonstrate three years of continuous residence in the UK to be considered for civil service roles on the ability of British nationals who have spent periods residing abroad to join the civil service.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
To join the Civil Service, individuals must pass pre-employment checks contained within the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). As part of the Right to Work check conducted within the BPSS, organisations need to assure themselves through obtaining documentation if individuals have resided overseas for six months or more within the last three years.
For Civil Service roles that require National Security Vetting (NSV), in order for meaningful NSV checks to be carried out, individuals will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. This period varies depending on the level of clearance required, to enable appropriate checks to provide the required level of assurance. For the Counter Terrorism Check (CTC), the recommended UK residency is three years preceding the NSV application.
These NSV policies are long standing and are kept under regular review.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56664 on Prisoners' Transfers: Transgender People, whether E Wing at HMP Downview is considered to be in the women's or men's prison estate.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The general female estate comprises the establishments in which female prisoners are accommodated. E Wing at HMP/YOI Downview is a special unit: it is not part of the general women's estate. Prisoners on E Wing are located separately from all other prisoners at HMP/YOI Downview. They may receive supervised access to activities in the main prison’s regime, such as visits, education, work and faith services. Such access is provided only where a local risk assessment has determined this to be appropriate.
As of 1 July, seven prisoners were being held on E Wing.
We are reviewing all relevant policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56664 on Prisoners' Transfers: Transgender People, what is the definition of general female estate.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The general female estate comprises the establishments in which female prisoners are accommodated. E Wing at HMP/YOI Downview is a special unit: it is not part of the general women's estate. Prisoners on E Wing are located separately from all other prisoners at HMP/YOI Downview. They may receive supervised access to activities in the main prison’s regime, such as visits, education, work and faith services. Such access is provided only where a local risk assessment has determined this to be appropriate.
As of 1 July, seven prisoners were being held on E Wing.
We are reviewing all relevant policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.