Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what measures his Department has put in place to monitor perpetrators of domestic abuse when they are released on licence.

HMPPS have taken significant steps to strengthen practice in managing domestic abuse offenders– introducing a new Policy Framework to make expectations clear, updating training and strengthening operational guidance: Domestic abuse policy framework - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Probation Service works with other agencies to manage the risks perpetrators pose on release from prison and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of victims, potential victims, and children. For domestic abuse offenders convicted of relevant sexual or violent offences and others referred based on their risk, this will be under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). The statutory MAPPA Guidance now includes a specific chapter on domestic abuse: Multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA): Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

We are investing an extra £5.5 million a year to recruit probation staff who are specifically responsible for obtaining domestic abuse information held by the police, as well as children’s safeguarding information held by councils.

We are making better use of technology to enhance monitoring of domestic abuse offenders:

• Since July 2022, we have been piloting mandatory polygraph testing of high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators released on licence.
• We have rolled out tagged alcohol monitoring for prison leavers where alcohol misuse is identified as a criminogenic need; offenders may be banned from drinking alcohol or allow alcohol use within agreed limits.
• Later this year, we will begin our Domestic Abuse Perpetrators on Licence project to test the effectiveness of electronic monitoring on licence for domestic abuse perpetrators to reduce reoffending, protect victims - and prevent future victims.