Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what negotiations she has had with prisoner escort contractors on reducing the number of court trials that are cancelled as a result of contractors not bring the defendant to court on time.

The Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS), which is part of HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS), provides Ministers with regular updates on performance of prisoner escort contractors against delivery targets.

It is recognised that there are many factors that can lead to trials being cancelled and that the efficient running of the criminal justice system requires a whole-system approach. PECS’ contractual performance against the indicator for timely delivery to court currently stands at 99.93%.

HMPPS closely monitors the operation of the contracts, and works with criminal justice partners through its Strategic Partnership Board, which includes representatives from His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service and the police, as well as the contractors which deliver PECS services, to ensure that prisoners get to court on time, and that courts are prepared for their arrival.