Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy not to transfer high-risk female offenders to E Wing at HMP Downview.
Answered by Alex Chalk
HMP Downview’s E Wing provides separate accommodation in the women’s estate for transgender women with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRC) who pose, or face, too high a risk to be located in the general women’s population. The circumstances in which a transgender woman with a GRC may be considered for placement in separate accommodation is detailed in ‘The Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender’ policy framework. A planned review of the implementation of this policy is underway.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that Sex Offender Treatment Programmes are (a) open and (b) welcoming for biologically male transgender prisoners convicted of sexual offences who are held in the male estate.
Answered by Alex Chalk
Accredited sexual offender (SO) programmes are not currently available in the women’s estate. However, bespoke interventions are provided where required to ensure that we properly manage the risk posed by all offenders.
In the male estate, the accredited SO programmes are open to individuals who are legally male but identify as female.
A strategic review of all HMPPS designed accredited programmes is underway and will include consideration of the interventions available for transgender individuals.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what provision exists for biologically male sexual offenders housed in the female estate (a) with and (b) without a Gender Recognition Certificate to access Sex Offender Treatment Programmes.
Answered by Alex Chalk
Accredited sexual offender (SO) programmes are not currently available in the women’s estate. However, bespoke interventions are provided where required to ensure that we properly manage the risk posed by all offenders.
In the male estate, the accredited SO programmes are open to individuals who are legally male but identify as female.
A strategic review of all HMPPS designed accredited programmes is underway and will include consideration of the interventions available for transgender individuals.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the HMP Downview E Wing Policy is under review.
Answered by Alex Chalk
Local policies (such as HMP Downview ‘E Wing Policy) must be consistent with the policy framework ‘The Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender,’ which is available here: The care and management of individuals who are transgender - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
HMP Downview’s ‘E Wing Policy’ is a local prison policy and, as is usual practice for such a policy, it is not published more widely. This is because local policies like this one are subject to change at short notice at the discretion of prison governors. Like all local policies this policy remains under regular review.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place a copy of the HMP Downview E Wing Policy in the Library.
Answered by Alex Chalk
Local policies (such as HMP Downview ‘E Wing Policy) must be consistent with the policy framework ‘The Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender,’ which is available here: The care and management of individuals who are transgender - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
HMP Downview’s ‘E Wing Policy’ is a local prison policy and, as is usual practice for such a policy, it is not published more widely. This is because local policies like this one are subject to change at short notice at the discretion of prison governors. Like all local policies this policy remains under regular review.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish the results of his call for evidence on corporate liability reform for economic crime.
Answered by Alex Chalk
The Government is considering the case for reforming the law on corporate criminal liability for economic crime and will publish a response to the Call for Evidence in due course.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the rate of recidivism for people convicted of distribution of cannabis.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Please see the relevant tables attached. Note in the data that reoffending is measured using a one-year follow-up period and a further six month waiting period. Rates are, therefore, only available for cohorts up until January to March 2017.
For those whose offences are linked to cannabis usage, NHS England and Local Health Boards in Wales, who are responsible for commissioning substance misuse services in prisons, offer a broad range of services to address substance misuse. It is for health providers to decide the appropriate treatment on a case by case basis.
Further, for prisons in England the updated April 2018 NHS England Substance Misuse Service Specification for prisons sets out evidence-based services that should be commissioned to address the health and justice needs of prisoners, including the prevention of re-offending.
Those convicted of possession, production or supply of cannabis may also be suitable for an accredited offending behaviour programme or similar intervention which addresses needs related to an individual’s offending, for example attitudes, thinking and behaviour.
In addition, we are addressing some of the barriers to rehabilitation through the Education and Employment strategy we published last May. For example, we are giving governors local power and control, enabling them to commission education provision that leads to work; through the New Futures Network (NFN), we are engaging with employers to take on ex-prisoners; and we have consulted on proposals to increase the opportunities available to prisoners to gain experience in real workplaces through Release On Temporary Licence.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to the rate of recidivism for people convicted of production of cannabis.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Please see the relevant tables attached. Note in the data that reoffending is measured using a one-year follow-up period and a further six month waiting period. Rates are, therefore, only available for cohorts up until January to March 2017.
For those whose offences are linked to cannabis usage, NHS England and Local Health Boards in Wales, who are responsible for commissioning substance misuse services in prisons, offer a broad range of services to address substance misuse. It is for health providers to decide the appropriate treatment on a case by case basis.
Further, for prisons in England the updated April 2018 NHS England Substance Misuse Service Specification for prisons sets out evidence-based services that should be commissioned to address the health and justice needs of prisoners, including the prevention of re-offending.
Those convicted of possession, production or supply of cannabis may also be suitable for an accredited offending behaviour programme or similar intervention which addresses needs related to an individual’s offending, for example attitudes, thinking and behaviour.
In addition, we are addressing some of the barriers to rehabilitation through the Education and Employment strategy we published last May. For example, we are giving governors local power and control, enabling them to commission education provision that leads to work; through the New Futures Network (NFN), we are engaging with employers to take on ex-prisoners; and we have consulted on proposals to increase the opportunities available to prisoners to gain experience in real workplaces through Release On Temporary Licence.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the rate of recidivism for people convicted of possession of cannabis.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Please see the relevant tables attached. Note in the data that reoffending is measured using a one-year follow-up period and a further six month waiting period. Rates are, therefore, only available for cohorts up until January to March 2017.
For those whose offences are linked to cannabis usage, NHS England and Local Health Boards in Wales, who are responsible for commissioning substance misuse services in prisons, offer a broad range of services to address substance misuse. It is for health providers to decide the appropriate treatment on a case by case basis.
Further, for prisons in England the updated April 2018 NHS England Substance Misuse Service Specification for prisons sets out evidence-based services that should be commissioned to address the health and justice needs of prisoners, including the prevention of re-offending.
Those convicted of possession, production or supply of cannabis may also be suitable for an accredited offending behaviour programme or similar intervention which addresses needs related to an individual’s offending, for example attitudes, thinking and behaviour.
In addition, we are addressing some of the barriers to rehabilitation through the Education and Employment strategy we published last May. For example, we are giving governors local power and control, enabling them to commission education provision that leads to work; through the New Futures Network (NFN), we are engaging with employers to take on ex-prisoners; and we have consulted on proposals to increase the opportunities available to prisoners to gain experience in real workplaces through Release On Temporary Licence.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his department had made of the rate of recidivism for individuals charged with crimes involving the distribution of cannabis for each year between 2010 to 2018.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Please see the relevant tables attached. Note in the data that reoffending is measured using a one-year follow-up period and a further six month waiting period. Rates are, therefore, only available for cohorts up until January to March 2017.
For those whose offences are linked to cannabis usage, NHS England and Local Health Boards in Wales, who are responsible for commissioning substance misuse services in prisons, offer a broad range of services to address substance misuse. It is for health providers to decide the appropriate treatment on a case by case basis.
Further, for prisons in England the updated April 2018 NHS England Substance Misuse Service Specification for prisons sets out evidence-based services that should be commissioned to address the health and justice needs of prisoners, including the prevention of re-offending.
Those convicted of possession, production or supply of cannabis may also be suitable for an accredited offending behaviour programme or similar intervention which addresses needs related to an individual’s offending, for example attitudes, thinking and behaviour.
In addition, we are addressing some of the barriers to rehabilitation through the Education and Employment strategy we published last May. For example, we are giving governors local power and control, enabling them to commission education provision that leads to work; through the New Futures Network (NFN), we are engaging with employers to take on ex-prisoners; and we have consulted on proposals to increase the opportunities available to prisoners to gain experience in real workplaces through Release On Temporary Licence.