Prisoners: Transgender People
(asked on 25th November 2025) - View Source
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many prisoners recorded as transgender women who either still retain genitalia or have a history of sexual or violent offences have been granted an exemption by a Minister to serve their sentence in a male prison.
The latest available figures for transgender prisoners are set out in the table below:
| 31 March 2025 |
All reported transgender prisoners with a GRC | 9 |
(no further breakdowns provided) |
|
All reported transgender prisoners without a GRC | 339 |
(further breakdowns provided below) |
|
|
|
Biological sex |
|
Biological sex female | 63 |
Biological sex male | 276 |
|
|
Self-identified gender identity |
|
Female | 247 |
Male | 64 |
Non-binary | 18 |
Other (one of identifying in a different way, not recorded/not stated) | 10 |
|
|
Women's establishments |
|
Number of transgender prisoners in women's estates | 64 |
Transgender women (biological sex male, self-identifies as female) | ~ |
Transgender men (biological sex female, self-identifies as male) | 61 |
Other (one of non-binary, identifying in a different way, or not stated/not known) | ~ |
|
|
Men's establishments |
|
Number of transgender prisoners in men's estates | 275 |
Transgender women (biological sex male, self-identifies as female) | 245 |
Transgender men (biological sex female, self-identifies as male) | ~ |
Other (one of non-binary, identifying in a different way, or not stated/not known) | ~ |
The Ministerial exemption process only applies to the placement of transgender women (defined in HMPPS as biological males who identify as females) in women's prisons. Transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of violent or sexual offending can only be placed in the general women's estate in exceptional circumstances and where an exemption has been granted by Ministers. No transgender women have received such an exemption under this Government.