Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many unwanted prisoner contacts were recorded in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.

The information held relates to requests received via the former Victims’ Helpline Service concerning unwanted calls, and is shown below. Figures for requests received via other routes relating to unwanted calls are not collated centrally.

2020 – 74 calls

2021 – 62 calls

2022 –150 calls (includes figures from a pilot to test a new enhanced Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service which has replaced the Victim Helpline Service).

Steps are routinely taken to block contact with victims who are not related to the offender, and in cases where domestic abuse is a known part of the sentence being served, unless the victim requests otherwise.

We have this week launched a new national replacement service for the Victim’s Helpline Service, the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service, which we have worked with the police and national charities to design and develop. Where there is a pattern of domestic abuse, the improved system enables more referral routes for blocking of contact with members of the victim’s family.