Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions his Department has had with Essex criminal justice partners about expanding access to specialist courts and coordinated rehabilitation services for women who offend.

The Government is committed to improving outcomes for women in contact with the criminal justice system through community-based support, rehabilitative services and sentencing reform.

Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs) provide enhanced supervision and coordinated support as an alternative to short custodial sentences. There are currently four women’s ISCs in operation, which take a gender-informed approach to rehabilitation. Essex justice services did not submit an application to the ISC expression of interest process and was therefore not considered as part of the current expansion programme.

Earlier this year, the Government announced a significant uplift in funding to women’s community and voluntary organisations, bringing total funding over the Spending Review period to £31.6 million. The Women’s Diversion Fund forms part of this investment and will support organisations to divert women away from further contact with the criminal justice system and help reduce the number of women entering prison.

In addition, since 2021, HMPPS has sustained contracts with voluntary and community sector providers to deliver women’s Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS), with £24.5 million of annual funding in 2026/27 for a dedicated women’s service focused on housing, employability, finances, substance misuse and overall wellbeing. These services are currently being recommissioned and the future ‘Community Support’ service will commence in c. September 2028.