Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what possible risk factors they have identified in the implementation of chemical castration for sex offenders, and what plans they have to mitigate against these risks when implementing the policy.

As part of the Government’s efforts to crackdown on sex crimes, the Government has committed to extending Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal (MMPSA) to twenty prisons, ramped up from the current four in the South West.

MMPSA is a pharmaceutical intervention prescribed by clinicians to individuals, based on clinical need; medication can be given in the form of testosterone suppressing medication known as anti-androgens and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitiors (SSRIs). There is evidence of serious medium and longer-term side effects and risks associated with taking anti-androgens, which need to be carefully monitored by clinicians whilst a patient is taking them.

MMPSA is most effective when used alongside psychological interventions which includes accredited offending behaviour programmes, coordinated support such as therapy and probation supervision. This integrated approach ensures that public safety is prioritised.

The evidence of outcomes related to a reduction in psychological distress is building. To strengthen our evidence base, the Government is going further than the Independent Sentencing Review recommendation by committing to extending and expanding the existing MMPSA feasibility pilot beyond the South-West region, to two additional regions, the North East and the North West, as the first steps towards a national roll-out. We are continuing to work closely with our partners across health and justice agencies to inform our plans for implementation throughout the Autumn.

Alongside the expansion of the pilot, we are working closely with experts to ensure all future decisions are based on strong evidence which prioritises public safety, including through our collaboration with Nottingham Trent University to conduct a Randomised Controlled Trial to understand the effectiveness of SSRIs in managing problematic sexual behaviours.

We are also conducting international research to inform our approach to MMPSA. This has included hosting an expert roundtable with international representation from Sweden and Germany, and targeted engagement with countries who use this medication, as recommended in the Review. A summary of the evidence available will be deposited in the House Library.

As the evidence builds, it is right we consider ways we can increase the use of MMPSA and we will continue to explore whether we might mandate this treatment in future.