Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of children aged under 18 whose mothers are imprisoned in (1) HMP Askham Grange, (2) HMP Bronzefield, (3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park, (6) HMP Eastwood Park, (7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall, (10) HMP Send, and (11) HMP Styal, are (a) taken into care, and (b) looked after by close relatives.

The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children, whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.

The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.

The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information broken down by type of offence.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.

Note

1. Total population figures include women serving custodial sentences, those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.
2. Sentence length figures do not include those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.

Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having children by establishment, 26 June 2018

Notes:

1. The number of children field is not a mandatory field within the NOMIS application and about 400 women across these establishments have no entry on the system.
2. There is no functionality to record the age of children on NOMIS.
3. There are likely to be cases where, when entered onto the system, a child was under the age of 18 but has since passed this milestone and is now classed as an adult.

4. The figures relate to all women, not just those in prison for non-violent offences.