Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many legal aid certificates have been granted for cases referencing (a) the one-in, one-out migrant returns policy and (b) removals to France since July 2025.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Information relating to legal aid expenditure challenging removals under the one-in one-out pilot is not centrally held. Although legal aid expenditure broken down by category is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Legal Aid Agency’s Official Statistics.
In order to obtain information relating to the number of legal aid certificates granted for cases which make specific reference to either the one-in one-out migrant returns policy or removals to France, it would be necessary to manually review every single application for legal representation in connection with judicial review proceedings in the immigration context. That could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the offending behaviour (a) programmes and (b) interventions offered in prisons.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) expects that all programmes and interventions meet the evidenced standards for what works to reduce reoffending and promote desistance. This includes being able to evaluate them. We expect our programmes and interventions to be either accredited or centrally approved to ensure they meet those evidenced standards.
The Correctional Services Accreditation and Advice Panel (CSAAP), an independent group of experts, provides HMPPS with accreditation recommendations to inform their accreditation for use across prisons and probation. CSAAP expects programmes to be designed and delivered based on the best international evidence and requires evaluations to be conducted before they can recommend accreditation.
The Ministry of Justice and HMPPS have developed a comprehensive research and evaluation strategy for accredited offending behaviour programmes. This strategy aims to assess the implementation of these programmes, along with their short-term and long-term outcomes, in an iterative manner. The objective is to establish a thorough understanding of programme delivery and its impact on reoffending and other outcome measures among various participant groups.
HMPPS also has a National Framework for Interventions (NFI) Policy Framework which provides a mechanism for ensuring that those interventions delivered regionally and in lower volumes than our accredited programme offer, including those delivered in collaboration with our third sector partner organisations, also meet the evidenced standards for effectiveness. These standards are consistent with those applied by CSAAP when making accreditation recommendations for offending behaviour programmes across HMPPS. Where interventions are reviewed under the NFI policy framework, it is expected that providers are responsible for the evaluation of their intervention products. Providers do, however, have the option to engage with the Ministry of Justice Justice Data Lab to complete evaluations.
In recent years, several studies and evaluations of HMPPS offending behaviour programmes and interventions have been published in line with the research and evaluation strategy. These are outlined below.
Reoffending impact evaluation of the prison-based Resolve offending behaviour programme (2021) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/957855/RESOLVE_report.pdf
An impact evaluation of the prison-based Thinking Skills Programme (TSP) on prison misconduct (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1174194/TSP_Prison_Misconduct_Report.pdf
An impact evaluation of the prison-based Thinking Skills Programme (TSP) on reoffending (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1173986/TSP_Reoffending_Report.pdf
The Healthy Identity Intervention (HII): Findings from an interim outcome evaluation (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/648833bcb32b9e000ca96609/healthy-identity-intervention-interim-findings.pdf
Evaluating the Building Better Relationships (BBR) programme: Feasibility study for an impact evaluation of proven reoffending (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1149864/evaluating-the-building-better-relationships-programme.pdf
The Healthy Sex Programme: An exploration of pre-to-post psychological test change. (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1137873/healthy-sex-programme.pdf
Post-release reoffending outcomes for individuals with offence-related sexual paraphilias: An exploratory risk-band analysis. (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1137663/sexual-paraphilias.pdf
Horizon and iHorizon: Psychometric analyses of the Success Wheel Measure (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1137660/horizon-iorizon-psychometric-analyses.pdf
Horizon and iHorizon: An uncontrolled before-after study of clinical outcomes (2023) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1137650/horizon-iHorizon-uncontrolled-study.pdf
The Learning Disabilities and Challenges (LDC) suite of accredited offending behaviour programmes: An uncontrolled before-after evaluation of clinical outcomes (2024) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/676ada7b3229e84d9bbdea66/LDC_suite_study.pdf
Kaizen: An uncontrolled before-after evaluation of clinical outcomes. (2024) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/676ad8c3cdb5e64b69e30a46/Kaizen_analysis.pdf
A Review of General Cognitive-Behavioural Programs in English and Welsh Prisons and Probation Services: Three Decades of Quasi-Experimental Evaluations (2024) - https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001405
A Multi-Site Qualitative Evaluation of the Accredited Thinking Skills Programme (TSP) (2025) - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821cd14d9c9bb76078f7f07/A_Multi-Site_Qualitative_Evaluation_of_the_Accredited_Thinking_Skills_Programme__web_.pdf
Stepwise Driving: A structured intervention for impaired driving – Exploring the views of facilitators and programme attendees (2025) - https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505251350077
Building Choices: Process evaluation of the design test of the new accredited Offending Behaviour Programme (2025): Building Choices: Process evaluation of the design test of a new accredited Offending Behaviour Programme - GOV.UK
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions his Department has had with the Home Office on proposals to ban first cousin marriage.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice regularly engages with other Government Departments, including the Home Office, on a range of issues relating to marriage law.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will extend intervention programmes aimed at preventing reoffending to people held in prisons on remand, pre-sentencing.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
We are focused on expanding appropriate rehabilitative provision for remand prisoners to ensure consistency across the country. Probation Pre-Release Teams (PRTs) support probation practitioners in the community with pre-release planning and coordinate specialist resettlement services within the prison. PRTs support all people in prison including those who are on remand or those who are held outside of their local area.
The scope of the Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) accommodation (men's) and CRS Women’s Services contracts have been extended to include those on remand. CRS does not offer intervention programmes but does offer practical support in relation to key offence related needs.
This includes the provision of accommodation support for all individuals, and, for women, additional services which address Finance Benefit and Debt (FBD), Family and Significant Others and Social Inclusion. HMPPS is also preparing to recommission its rehabilitative services and we intend that future combined-pathway contracts for both men and women will continue to support both sentenced and unsentenced prisoners. These next generation of services for men in custody, including those on remand, will also include the Community Links and FBD.
Accredited offending behaviour programmes are generally reserved for sentenced individuals, as remand periods and uncertain outcomes make it impractical to deliver these interventions before sentencing.
Asked by: Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat - Witney)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to tackle the problem of illegal deliveries of (a) phones, (b) drugs and (c) other contraband items into prisons via drones.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
We are working hard to deter, detect and disrupt the illegal use of drones around prisons in England and Wales.
Whilst we cannot share our full range of countermeasures, our approach is multi-faceted and continually evolving. This includes strengthening physical security countermeasures, exploring technological developments, exploiting intelligence, bolstering legislation and working across Government and with international partners on this global issue.
HMPPS uses targeted countermeasures such as improvements to windows, specialist netting and grilles to stop drones successfully delivering contraband.
This year, we are investing over £40 million in physical security across 34 prisons. This includes £10 million on anti-drone measures including windows and secure netting across 15 prisons.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Post Office Horizon Inquiry on the publication of evidence.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry is a statutory inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 and Sir Wyn Williams and the Inquiry team have the right to receive full access to the information and witnesses they require in order to investigate what went wrong at the Post Office. The Inquiry is entirely independent. Within its published terms of reference, Sir Wyn has the power to decide what to look at and which evidence to make public.
The Department for Business and Trade is the lead department on Post Office issues, so the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice has not engaged with the Inquiry on the publication of its evidence. It is important that the Government respect Sir Wyn’s independence, therefore it would not be appropriate for Government to comment further on the Inquiry.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether translation (a) cards or (b) services are provided to foreign national prison officers to aid communication with prisoners.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Translation cards or services are not provided to any prison officers working in Public Sector Prisons (PSPs). The process for recruiting prison officers across all PSPs is the same for all applicants, both UK and non-UK nationals, with candidates being appointed to the role based on merit, in line with the fair and open Civil Service recruitment principles. The assessment process for prison officers includes assessments of spoken and written language skills, which will be to the same standard for all candidates, regardless of nationality, and fitness and medical checks.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners who have been wrongly released have committed a crime before being brought back to prison in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many trials have been delayed and court days lost because a prisoner has failed to be delivered to the Court by the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The question has been interpreted to mean ineffective trials that do not start on their intended start date and need rescheduling. Trials can become ineffective for many reasons, owing to the action or inaction of stakeholders responsible for producing prisoners to court, or of the courts themselves. Delays or failures to bring prisoners to court are one such reason.
Data on trial effectiveness at the criminal courts, by reason for ineffectiveness, is published as part of the Criminal court statistics quarterly series. Applying the “reason” filter in the pivot table in Trial Effectiveness at Criminal Courts document enables the reader to select reasons why trials have been ineffective. Tab 14 shows instances where the defendant’s not having been produced by Prisoner Escort and Custody Services led to an ineffective trial. This includes all instances where a prisoner was not produced on time, regardless of whether the contractor was at fault. The most recent publication can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2025.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what prison construction projects were due to be completed by ISG Construction.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Construction projects were planned for completion by ISG Construction Limited at the below prisons:
HMP Birmingham
HMP Liverpool
HMP Prescoed
HMP The Verne
HMP Kirklevington Grange
HMP Warren Hill
HMP Guys Marsh
HMP Erlestoke
HMP Leyhill
HMP Ford
HMP Standford Hill
The planned new prison in Buckinghamshire
Work is underway to recommence delivery across these projects. We are committed to delivering an additional 14,000 prison places and are on track to do so by 2031. We have already delivered c.2,600 of these since taking office.