Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many sex offenders in prisons have been voluntarily chemically castrated to date as part of the pilot scheme.

The use of Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) forms part of our wider response to ensure people convicted of sexual offences are robustly managed. This Government is increasing the use of MMPSA for sex offenders by expanding an existing feasibility pilot in the Southwest to two additional regions, which will see the service extend from four to 20 prisons as a first step, with work underway to deliver this in early 2027.

Alongside the expansion of the service, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions for policy development are based on strong evidence which prioritises public protection, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (one of the medications used) in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

As the evidence of impact builds, we will continue to review possible implementation plans for increasing the use of MMPSA, including whether to mandate this treatment in future.

Healthcare in prisons is the responsibility of NHS England. Consequently, information on the number of prisoners who have received MMPSA is not held centrally by the Ministry of Justice.