Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of female prisoners held for non-violent crimes are mothers with children under the age of 18 in (1) England, and (2) Wales; and what percentage of those children were taken into care following their mother's imprisonment in (a) England, and (b) Wales.

As of 30 September 2017, 73% of all female prisoners (including those held on remand) were held for a non-violent offence (i.e. assuming that a non-violent offence refers to all offence groups besides the ‘Violence Against The Person’ offence group). There are only women’s prisons in England, therefore the data cannot be broken down to show female prisoners in Wales.

Regarding the percentage of female prisoners held for a non-violent offence who are mothers of children under the age of 18 and what percentage of those children were taken into care following their mother's imprisonment, the information requested is not held centrally.