Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the answer of 20 April 2026 to question 125954, which (a) organisations (b) government bodies and (c) academic partners are conducting the incremental, evidence led approach.

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) works across commissioned services and with the voluntary and community sector to inform policy and delivery. Research is conducted in association with a range of academic partners who have expertise in the specific field of enquiry. Through commissioning arrangements, providers are contractually required to deliver evidence-based interventions, with continuous contract management and oversight to monitor quality, support evaluation, and ensure continuing improvement.

This approach draws on a range of evidence sources, including academic research, operational practice, and insight from people in custody and on probation, to inform the design and delivery of services, including those involving peer support. While there is a growing evidence base that supportive relationships can contribute to improved engagement and rehabilitative outcomes, the Department does not currently hold specific data isolating the impact of peer support on re-offending outcomes. The Ministry of Justice is fully committed to test and learn approaches and best practice in evaluation as laid out in the Magenta Book, which the Department will also be publishing an updated Evaluation and Prototyping Strategy this year: https//www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-magenta-book

Overall, there are approximately 1,750 not-for-profit organisations whose primary beneficiary group is those in the criminal justice system, and a wider network of 4,916 organisations who list criminal justice as one of their areas of work. Through the HMPPS and Ministry of Justice infrastructure grant, we fund the charity Clinks to support, promote, and represent third sector organisations working with offenders and their families in England and Wales. Clinks is the acknowledged sector-wide point of contact for the Department. This enables the sector to engage effectively with policy makers and commercial opportunities, assisting the Probation Service to support the people in our care. Clinks holds a directory of services which provides a list of organisations working in this area. It can be accessed via the charity’s website.