Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many telecommunication restriction orders have been (a) applied for and (b) granted in each month since those orders were introduced.

The illicit use of mobile phones undermines the safety and security of prison. We are taking urgent and decisive action to tackle this issue.

Under measures introduced in August 2016 the National Offender Management Service is one of a number agencies that can apply for Telecommunications Restriction Orders at Court to block specific mobile phones being used in prisons. Each order may specify multiple phones. Since the commencement of the powers, more than 150 phones have been disconnected through use of these orders. Further breakdown of these figures cannot be disclosed because this could disrupt ongoing law enforcement activity.