theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_804
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_804

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of early parole release decisions on (a) victim wellbeing and (b) public confidence in the criminal justice system. \p Alex Davies-Jones: We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Most prisoners, even those who have committed serious offences, will become eligible for release once they have served the minimum term of their sentence set by the court. We know that Parole Board decisions can be difficult for victims but we are committed to ensuring victims understand release decisions, can contribute to the process and are supported through it. This support is provided to eligible victims through the Victim Contact Scheme which includes Victim Liaison Officers who offer tailored guidance, keep victims informed, and help them navigate the parole process.

A number of changes have been made to the parole process in recent years including the introduction of decision summaries which can be provided by the Parole Board, the Reconsideration Mechanism (which allows parties to a case to ask for Parole Board decisions to be looked at again), public parole hearings and the ability for victims to apply to observe private hearings. We support these and other measures to improve transparency, victim involvement and public confidence in the system.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_805
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_805

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of excluding people convicted of violent offences from early parole eligibility. \p Alex Davies-Jones: We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release. Eligibility for release at the discretion of the Parole Board is determined by the type of sentence a prisoner is serving. All prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence – life or imprisonment for public protection (IPP) – must serve the minimum term in prison set by the judge before they become eligible to be considered for parole. Prisoners serving an extended determinate sentence (EDS) or sentence for offenders of particular concern (SOPC) must serve two-thirds of their custodial term in prison before being referred to the Parole Board to consider release. By their nature, sentences which involve release by the Parole Board are imposed on the most serious and dangerous offenders, including those convicted of violent offences. In all cases, the Parole Board may only direct release if they are satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender remain confined.

The recent Independent Sentencing Review recommended that EDS prisoners should be subject to a new ‘progression model’ but the Government rejected that proposal because we do not think it would be right to allow for prisoners who have been deemed dangerous by the courts to have their parole eligibility date brought forward.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_807
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_807

Kim Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued in each of the last five years were subsequently breached; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of these Orders in reducing reoffending. \p Jake Richards: The number of Criminal Behaviour Orders issued broken down by local justice area, police force area, sex, age, and the requested ethnicities for the last five years are provided in the attached tables.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the ‘Outcomes by Offences data tool’, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.

However, it is not possible to state what proportion of orders are breached, as the data does not track individuals who were issued a Criminal Behaviour Order and then subsequently breached the order – they are recorded separately.

Policy responsibility for Criminal Behaviour Orders is a matter for the Home Office.

78737 78738 78739 78740 78741 Table (xlsx, 25.4KB)
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_808
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_808

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with the Parole Board on the involvement of victims in early parole release decisions. \p Alex Davies-Jones: We have interpreted “early parole” to mean a release direction made by the Parole Board once a prisoner serving a parole-eligible sentence has completed the minimum custodial term (tariff) set at the point of sentence and so becomes eligible for release.

It is important in the parole process that victims’ voices are heard and that they receive information and support to understand how the Parole Board reaches its decisions. We work closely with the Board on victims’ involvement and how to ensure their rights under the Victims’ Code and Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 are being met. This includes the right for victims to submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board explaining how the crime has affected them and their families. Eligible victims may also make representations about licence conditions imposed on offenders when released and, since 1 April 2025, we have worked with the Parole Board on measures to support victims to apply to observe parole hearings. Throughout the process victims are kept updated and given support by their Victim Liaison Officer, where they have signed up to the Victim Contact Scheme operated by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_809
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_809

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the condition of court buildings. \p Sarah Sackman: This Government inherited a crumbling court estate – a symbol of a crumbling justice system. Historical underfunding over the last 14 years has resulted in challenges across the court and tribunal estate, with an estimated maintenance backlog of £1.3 billion.

It is vital that the infrastructure of our courts and tribunals does not prevent hearings from taking place and that court conditions are acceptable for the staff who serve within the system and the public that are served by it. It is a government priority to ensure that cases can be heard, and victims can be given the justice that they deserve. That is why this Government announced a boost in court and tribunal capital maintenance and project funding from £120 million last year, to £148.5 million for 2025/26.

HMCTS keeps the condition of court buildings under review. Maintenance funding is prioritised to meet operational priorities and make sure our courts and tribunal are safe, secure, meet statutory requirements and protect continuity of service We are also investing in the courts of the future - delivering new, modern and sustainable buildings that meet the needs of a changing justice system. This includes the new 18 courtroom City of London Law Courts, a new 30 hearing room London Tribunals building, and a purpose-built Magistrates’ and County Court in Blackpool.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_810
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_810

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog of employment tribunals; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of delays on claimants aged over 50 seeking redress for unfair dismissal. \p Sarah Sackman: We recognise that there are significant demand pressures on the Employment Tribunals and are working with the judiciary, HMCTS and Department for Business and Trade on actions to alleviate pressures. For example, we are investing in tribunal productivity through the development of modern case management systems, encouraging the uptake of mediation, and the continued use of remote hearing technology, as well as the recruitment of additional judges and deployment of legal officers.

In 2024, we had 21 more salaried judges in the Employment Tribunals than in 2023, and further recruitment for up to 36 salaried Employment Judges commenced in March 2025. 50 fee paid employment judges were appointed in 2024 and recruitment will commence for another 50 in early 2026. As a result, the previous Lord Chancellor was able to announce on 5 March a sitting day allocation for the Employment Tribunals of 33,900 in 2025/26, the maximum allocation they are able to sit.

Of the complaints brought to the ET involving unfair dismissal, a small proportion are successful at hearing. The majority of ET complaints involving unfair dismissal are settled, withdrawn, dismissed or decided in favour of the respondent (usually the employer) at hearing. In addition, not all unfair dismissal cases are brought to the Employment Tribunal, with some cases being resolved through Acas. The latest data on the number of early conciliation notifications that are received by Acas for unfair dismissal is published annually, and can be found at: https://www.acas.org.uk/about-us/annual-report.

The Ministry of Justice does not have a breakdown of Employment Tribunal statistics by age, however there is published data available on unfair dismissal, as well as age discrimination claims here: Tribunal Statistics Quarterly: April to June 2024 - GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_811
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_811

Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to publish a response to the Civil Justice Council's report entitled Review of Litigation Funding, published on 2 June 2025. \p Sarah Sackman: The Government recognises the critical role third-party litigation funding plays in access to justice. That is why we are committed to ensuring it works fairly for all.

The Civil Justice Council’s review will help inform the Government’s approach to any potential reforms in this area. The Government welcomes this review and is carefully considering the detailed recommendations in the final report . We will outline next steps in due course.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_812
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_812

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to page 11 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, whether he has made progress on expanding the (a) legal and (b) law enforcement toolkit. \p Sarah Sackman: The information requested regarding the law enforcement toolkit falls under the responsibility of the Home Office.

However, my Department shares responsibility for the legal toolkit. We are strengthening the legislative framework to better combat state and non-state actors that pose a national security risk. Through the Sentencing Bill, we are introducing more robust sentencing and release arrangements for national security offences, and through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing changes to strengthen our management of terrorist risk in prison and in the community on licence. In relation to combatting criminal gangs who are engaged in people trafficking and illegal migration, a key part of the National Security Strategy 2025, my Department is working with the Home Office to deliver the Government's agenda to use legal tools to swiftly remove those with no legal right to remain in the UK and deter dangerous small boat crossings and the vile trade of people traffickers.

National security is of the upmost importance to this Government and implementing the National Security Strategy will continue to be a priority for this Department.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_813
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_813

Kim Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the value is of the Prison Education Service Careers Information, Advice and Guidance contracts in the 2025-26 financial year. \p Jake Richards: The Prison Education Budget has not been reduced but increased costs mean that many prisons will experience a reduction in core-contract provision.

The value of the Prisoner Education Framework contracts between 01 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 was £138 million. We are unable to provide a set contract value for the period 01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026 as this period spans two contract years. Comparisons between individual service budgets year on year are not straightforward due to changes in contract structure and delivery arrangements. Additionally, the overall prison education budget includes a range of services beyond core education and the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), such as libraries, higher education and further education and Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG).

The CIAG contract value for financial year 2025-26 is £9.3 million.

We have set out the previous five years’ DPS budgets below:

Financial Year

DPS Budget

Notes

2021-22

£22.3m

This is a combined total for DPS and CIAG.

2022-23

£14.1m

These figures represent the total spent by Prison Governors on DPS without CIAG.

2023-24

£13.9m

2024-25

£12.7m

2025-26

£12.0m

This excludes the budget for the national CIAG service launched 01 April 2025.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_814
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_814

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of prison officers. \p Jake Richards: We know that sufficient and skilled frontline staffing is fundamental to delivering safe, secure, and rehabilitative prisons. We remain committed to ensuring prisons are sufficiently resourced and that we retain and build levels of experience.

Substantive recruitment efforts will continue at all prisons where vacancies exist or are projected, with targeted interventions applied to those prisons with the most need. We closely monitor staffing levels across the estate and look to provide short-term support where needed.  All prison expansion projects, whether new prisons or smaller builds, are factored into our staffing forecasts to ensure we recruit on time and build up the experience needed to continue to deliver safe and secure regimes.

To help increase retention, HMPPS has a retention strategy in place which is linked to wider activities around employee experience, employee lifecycle and staff engagement at work. Alongside the strategy a retention toolkit has been introduced which identifies local, regional and national interventions against the drivers of attrition, which are utilised by establishments to ensure that they are embedding individual Retention Plans.

As part of our efforts to grow our new generation of leaders, and transform HMPPS into a world class organisation, we launched the Future Prison Leaders Programme on 4 April 2025. This competitive programme is recruiting around 30 talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, including successful graduates, and offers a clear career pathway to a senior leadership position in prisons.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_815
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_815

Gideon Amos:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were exempt from Office of the Public Guardian deputyship fees in each of the last five years. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is in the early stages of reviewing criteria for exemption and remission of fees, including in relation to the gross annual income threshold for a 50% remission of fees. Any proposed changes to current processes will require an SI amendment to the Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) Regulations 2007.

The regulations currently allow for a 100% exemption of fees in relation to the supervision of deputyships if the protected person is in receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits including Employment Support Allowance.

This exemption applies regardless of the protected person’s income.

If the protected person is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, they may nonetheless qualify for a 50% remission of fees if their annual income does not exceed £12,000.

The OPG does not collect data on the reasons for granting exemptions. The OPG does not have data on the number of persons in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance who may have ceased to qualify for exemption. Applications for an exemption are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The table below shows the number of supervision fee exemptions and remissions in place over the past five financial years. Protected persons may be eligible for an extended award whereby an application for an exemption or remission of fees remains in place for up to three years. The volume of applications has remained relatively stable over the period. The figure reported for the 2025/26 financial year reflects data collected to date.

Financial Year

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26 (YTD)

Exemptions

14,376

13,967

14,415

14,213

9,637

Remissions

2,162

1,998

1,972

1,857

997

Total

16,538

15,965

16,387

16,070

10,634
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_816
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_816

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department will provide protective body armour to all prison officers working in (a) long‑term and (b) high‑security prisons. \p Jake Richards: His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has committed to delivering the Deputy Prime Minister's pledge to equip up to 10,000 staff with protective body armour (PBA). The provision of custom-made body armour to prison officers in the long-term and high-security estate (LTHSE) represents a significant undertaking. Our priority is to ensure we continue to provide the most appropriate and effective protective equipment, as swiftly as possible. We are currently preparing for further procurement and delivery into the long-term high security estate. This work is progressing at pace, and we expect to begin rollout across the estate during 2026.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_817
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_817

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much capacity within the prison estate will be created via the deportation of foreign national offenders by 31 December 2025. \p Jake Richards: The removal of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) is a priority of this Government. Deporting FNOs as quickly as possible protects the public, reduces pressures on prison capacity and lessens the associated expense to the taxpayer.

From 5 July 2024 to 4 July 2025 there were 2,632 Early Removal Scheme (ERS) removals from prison, which is a 10% increase compared to the 2,385 in the same period 12 months prior.

And this Government is going further: on 23 September we changed the law to reduce the time that FNOs must serve in prison before removal to 30% of their prison sentence. In steady state we expect this change will free up approximately 500 additional prison spaces a year.

Additionally, the Sentencing Bill currently before Parliament proposes to remove the minimum time to serve requirement altogether so that FNOs can be eligible for deportation immediately after they are sentenced.

The timing of when prison place savings will be realised from deporting FNOs is dependent on the Home Office’s rate of removals which will continue to be monitored over the coming months.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_818
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_818

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the standard of education delivered in (a) prisons and (b) young offender institutions. \p Jake Richards: Improving education standards in prisons and young offender institutions (YOIs) is a priority for the Ministry of Justice. Governors and Heads of Education, Skills and Work tailor provision to meet local needs, supported by regional managers and strengthened oversight of contracts. Investment in digital infrastructure is widening access across the estate to enable secure and flexible learning opportunities. Governors can commission both enrichment and vocational courses via the Dynamic Purchasing System, and pathways to employment are further supported by apprenticeships and the Future Skills Programme which provides short-sector specific training opportunities in areas like construction and waste management for those nearing the end of their sentence and provides a guaranteed job interview on release. Ofsted and HMIP feedback are closely monitored, and establishments are held to account for improvements.

To support inclusive education, all prisons, including YOIs, have Neurodiversity Support Managers, and public YOIs have qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators. The Youth Custody Service has launched ‘Roadmaps to Effective Practice’ in partnership with NHS England, education providers and psychology services, focused on improving safety, behaviour and education. Each YOI has a site-specific plan for education with performance monitored, and broad, balanced curriculums are being developed to support trauma-informed child-centred rehabilitation.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_819
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_819

Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to improve the process for (a) selecting and (b) prioritising cases from the daily court lists to ensure that cases involving people charged with breaching bail conditions in violent domestic abuse cases are (i) heard within the required legal timeframes and (ii) not released due to court scheduling delays. \p Sarah Sackman: Listing and case management decisions are made by the judiciary in collaboration with court listing officers, who prioritise cases involving vulnerable witnesses. The judiciary prioritise cases in line with the Criminal Practice Directions which set out the key principles for managing court lists, available at: Criminal Procedure Rules 2025 and Criminal Practice Directions 2023 - GOV.UK. Cases involving defendants held in custody overnight, including those accused of breaching bail conditions, are a priority. To support this, HMCTS has introduced measures such as a national forum for listing officers to share best practice.

In December 2024, the Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims. Work on Part 2 of the review will consider how the end-to-end process in the criminal courts could be improved to maximise efficiency and ensure public protection in the sorts of cases highlighed in the question. This work is underway and we expect it to be finalised later this year.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_820
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_820

Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing the current statute of limitations on medical negligence cases involving cerebral palsy. \p Sarah Sackman: Limitation periods set statutory time limits within which a party must bring a civil claim, or give notice of a claim, to the other party in a dispute. For negligence resulting in personal injury (which would include clinical negligence claims) the limitation period is normally three years from the date of the alleged negligence or the date of the claimant’s knowledge of damage, whichever is later.

However, under Section 33 of the Limitation Act 1980, this period can be extended at the court’s discretion, if it appears that it would be equitable (ie. fair and reasonable) to all parties to allow an action to proceed.

The Government has no plans to reform the law in this area.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_821
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_821

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, what his Department's projected completion date is for the roll out of Microsoft 365 Copilot to leadership judges. \p Sarah Sackman: The Judicial Office, an office of the Ministry of Justice that supports the judiciary carry out its duties, purchased 300 Copilot 365 licences for leadership judges in July 2025. Leadership judges include: the Lady Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls, Heads of Division, Senior President of Tribunals, Lords and Lady Justices of Appeal, High Court Presiders, Tribunal Presidents, Senior Circuit Judges, Resident Judges, Regional Judges, Tribunal Presidents, Designated Judges, Judicial College Directors of Training, Chief Coroner, and the Chief Magistrate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_822

Mr Paul Kohler:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of court backlogs on levels of access to justice for (a) victims and (b) defendants. \p Sarah Sackman: This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. As of June 2025, the open caseload reached 78,329. It is unacceptable that some victims, witnesses and defendants are waiting years for justice. This has left tens of thousands of victims facing devastating delays for justice, disrupting their ability to function, work, or maintain relationships, with many now pulling out of the process altogether.

Upon taking office, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate action to allocate additional Crown Court sitting days this financial year, taking the total to a record 111,250 sitting days. The Government has allocated resources so that the Crown Court is sitting over 5000 extra days more than under the previous Conservative Government. We have also made significant increases in criminal legal aid with up to an additional £92 million investment.

However, demand is currently so high, it is indisputable that fundamental reform is needed. That is why this Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose once-in-a-generation reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims.

Part one of his report has now been published. We are carefully considering Sir Brian’s proposals and will respond in due course.

We are committed to creating a more sustainable justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_823
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_823

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to introduce a remuneration and conditions framework for court interpreters ahead of the October 2026 target date to support the sustainability of the systems. \p Sarah Sackman: I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on Friday 5 September to Question 73395: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-08-29/73395.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_824
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_824

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, what progress he has made in strengthening partnerships with regulators to support AI-driven legal innovation. \p Sarah Sackman: The AI Action Plan for Justice commits the Ministry of Justice to working with regulators to support responsible AI adoption across the legal sector (Action 3.5). Legal Service Regulators are independent of government, but the Ministry of Justice maintains strong and close working relationships with them – for example, by offering AI-related training, facilitating knowledge-sharing, and maintaining regular engagement, including hosting a recent roundtable with a broad range of regulators to identify practical ways to support innovation across the sector. Our shared goal is to ensure regulation remains proportionate, evidence-based, and adaptable as AI technologies evolve.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_825
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_825

Mr Joshua Reynolds:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to increase the recruitment of magistrates from (a) younger age groups and (b) ethnic minority communities. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice is committed to building a strong and sustainable magistracy that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves. Marketing materials are specifically designed to attract younger and more ethnically diverse candidates, and the Department keeps the recruitment process under review to ensure it supports applications from diverse applicants. In 2024-25, ethnic minority individuals constituted 23% of all magistrate appointments; and 41% of magistrate appointments were aged under 50.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_826
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_826

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of magistrate court capacity in Greater Manchester. \p Sarah Sackman: The Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog in the Crown Court. The impacts of a historic lack of investment in the criminal justice system and increased demand, due to more arrests and charging practices, means there is now also additional pressure on the magistrates’ courts.

We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. We continue to build capacity in the magistrates’ courts, with 14,636 magistrates in post as of April 2025 across England and Wales, and we are uplifting our recruitment programme to bring in up to 2,000 new and diverse magistrates over the next 12 months. In addition, we are recruiting greater numbers of legal advisers to ensure our courts remain resilient.

In Greater Manchester, strong collaboration with criminal justice partners is driving improvements in efficiency and performance. Key areas of focus include police file quality, listing reviews to optimise court use, and ongoing cross-agency training to build capability and experience.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_827
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_827

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing remuneration rates and contractual terms in attracting and retaining Level 6 qualified interpreters to undertake work in the courts. \p Sarah Sackman: I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on Monday 8 September to Question 73394: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-08-29/73394.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to to the Independent Technical Review of Qualifications and Experience Requirements for the Provision of Spoken Language Interpreting, published on 17 March 2025, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there will be a sufficient number of Level 6 qualified interpreters available to meet the October 2026 target for court interpreting services. \p Sarah Sackman: I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on Tuesday 9 September to Question 74494: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-09-02/74494.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_829
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, what steps he is taking to enhance (a) AI leadership, (b) governance, (c) ethics, (d) data, (e) digital infrastructure and (f) commercial frameworks. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice’s AI Action Plan for Justice set out a series of bold, ambitious steps to promote the responsible use of AI tools across the department and the wider justice system. A Justice AI Unit headed up by a Chief AI Officer has been established. To embed ethics into our approach, we have developed a publicly accessible AI and Data Science Ethics Framework. This practical toolkit, created in partnership with the Alan Turing Institute, guides developers, policymakers, and decision-makers from inception through to deployment. We are also taking steps to improve the quality of our data to facilitate greater AI enablement. This includes linking offender data across systems through our BOLD and Data First programmes to improve public safety, rehabilitation, youth justice, prevention and victim services.

The Ministry of Justice is working with existing suppliers to leverage their AI capabilities to support the delivery of services and will continue to explore the opportunities available in the supplier market that will support the delivery of the AI Action Plan. Through Procurement framework including Crown Commercial Services Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Spark DPS frameworks and leveraging the benefits of Memorandums of Understanding in place between HMG and supplier in the marketplace, the Ministry of Justice will develop AI capabilities for the future.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_830
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_830

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to to minimise the potential impact of court proceedings on domestic violence victims by (a) aligning the (i) burdens of proof, (ii) legal standards and (iii) duties of lawyers in the family and criminal courts and (b) improving the admissibility of evidence between the family and criminal courts. \p Alex Davies-Jones: This Government is committed to doing everything it can to halve Violence Against Women and Girls within a decade. We recognise why it is important that victims of domestic abuse can have confidence that their case will be heard in court as soon as possible, and that they have support to help them navigate the justice system.

There are many procedural and systemic differences between family and criminal courts which are necessary and important given the very different contexts of those proceedings and the issues they are dealing with. Despite this, victims of domestic abuse are entitled to many of the same protections across our family, civil and criminal courts, including automatic eligibility for special measures, which can include giving evidence behind a screen or via a video link, and protection from being directly cross-examined by their perpetrators. In addition, our recently introduced Domestic Abuse Protection Order, is the first ever cross-jurisdictional order to be made available, on civil standard of proof, across family, civil and criminal courts.

While the Government is pursuing a range of initiatives and longer-term reforms across both criminal and family courts, aimed at improving outcomes for victims of domestic abuse, no steps are being taken to align different standard of proof, admissibility of evidence or procedure between these different jurisdictions.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_831
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_831

Alberto Costa:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether forthcoming legislative proposals on the use of non-disclosure agreements would apply retrospectively. \p Sarah Sackman: Victims are always able to report crimes to the police under the common law, even if their Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) suggests otherwise and irrespective of when the NDA was entered into. However, since 1 October 2025, section 17 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 allows individuals who are victims of crime, or reasonably believe they are, to share information with specified parties for certain purposes related to the criminal conduct, even if their NDA appears to preclude them from doing so. Additionally, clause 24 of the Employment Rights Bill will void any provision in an agreement between a worker and their employer to the extent that it seeks to prevent a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment and discrimination, unless conditions for an “excepted agreement” to be set in regulations are met. This measure is not yet in force and is subject to the Bill gaining Royal Assent.

Neither of these initiatives would apply retrospectively. They would not apply to NDAs entered into before the date on which the relevant legislation comes into force. This is in line with the rule of law principle that policy changes generally apply prospectively, to provide certainty for individuals and businesses about the rules governing their conduct.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_832
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_832

Mr Paul Kohler:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of rehabilitation programmes on reoffending rates by young adults. \p Jake Richards: We take an evidence-based approach to reducing reoffending, investing in a wide range of programmes that address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation. The pathway an individual takes - including young adults - is determined by their assessed risk and needs, ensuring interventions are targeted and proportionate.

Our approach is grounded in a robust body of research and evidence on what works and we recently published a synthesis of evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce reoffending (Reducing Reoffending - A Synthesis of Evidence on Effectiveness of Interventions). We continue to strengthen this foundation through ongoing evaluation, data analysis, and insights from delivery partners and international practice. The Justice Data Lab (JDL) supports this by producing tailored reports on the impact of rehabilitation programmes (Justice Data Lab statistics - GOV.UK). While not all evaluations are conducted at a scale that allows for detailed analysis of specific cohorts, we do disaggregate findings where possible to provide more targeted insights. For example, in 2023, the JDL published two large-scale evaluations of the Thinking Skills Programme (TSP), the most widely delivered accredited offending behaviour programme in custody by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) for individuals aged 18 and over. The evaluations found that participants, including those aged 18–25, committed fewer proven reoffences and were less likely to have any prison adjudications recorded than non-TSP participants.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_833
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_833

Robin Swann:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the use of companion dogs in prisons. \p Jake Richards: We understand this Question to refer to “pets as therapy” (PAT) dogs.

Prisoners are not permitted to have dogs in possession, but admittance of PAT dogs into prisons is covered in paragraphs 7.32 – 7.37 of HM Prison & Probation Service’s Prison Dogs Policy Framework: prison-dogs-pf.pdf; and section 13 of the Supplementary Guidance: prison-dogs-supplementary-guidance.pdf.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_834
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_834

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 73845 on Prison Accommodation, how many of those places were approved for construction since July 2024 in each location. \p Jake Richards: None of the places referenced in PQ 73845 were approved for construction since July 2024. They were all approved prior to July 2024.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_835
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_835

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the data tables accompanying the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, what assessment she made of the reasons for the Infrastructure and Projects delivery confidence assessment rating of red for the 10K Additional Prison Places Estate Expansion Category D programme. \p Jake Richards: At the time of the report, both the Houseblocks and Refurbishments Programme and Category D Expansion Programme had been impacted by ISG, a supplier of prison building contracts, entering in administration in September 2024. The loss of the building contractor meant the programmes had no guaranteed route to delivery or cost certainty until the reprocurement of those contracts concluded, meaning a red assessment was appropriate at the time.

As part of contingency plans in place, we have appointed a number of replacement constructors to take over projects that were previously with ISG. These contracts have been signed, and constructors are safely taking over sites and reviewing existing designs. Once this is complete, a programme will be developed to recommence delivery.

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.2,500 of these since taking office.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_836
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_836

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, what progress has he made in providing all staff with secure, enterprise-grade AI assistants by December 2025. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice is making strong progress in delivering secure, enterprise-grade AI tools to staff in line with the AI Action Plan for Justice. Through the Department’s AI for All initiative, all staff now have access to a secure AI assistant that supports day-to-day tasks such as drafting, summarising and document handling. Work is also under way to deploy advanced AI capabilities to assist with more complex functions, including research, data analysis and case-management support, helping to improve productivity, reduce administrative burden and enable staff to focus on higher-value work.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_837
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_837

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, what progress he has made in piloting AI (a) transcription and (b) summarisation tools in probation services in (i) Kent, (ii) Surrey, (iii) Sussex, and (iv) Wales. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice is piloting AI transcription and summarisation tools in probation services across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Wales to reduce administrative burdens and free up frontline staff time for direct engagement and case management. Early user feedback and evaluations have been positive. The findings will inform future decisions on wider deployment and investment across probation services.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_838
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_838

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, what progress he has made in exploring new funding mechanisms to support AI adoption. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice is working with existing suppliers to leverage their AI capabilities to support the delivery of services and will continue to explore the opportunities available in the supplier market that will support the delivery of the AI Action Plan. Through Procurement framework including Crown Commercial Services Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Spark DPS frameworks and leveraging the benefits of Memorandums of Understanding in place between HMG and supplier in the marketplace, the Ministry of Justice will develop AI capabilities for the future. The Department is also exploring funding mechanisms for AI and digital with the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_839
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_839

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, when he expects the Assessing Risks Needs and Strengths tool to come into use. \p Jake Richards: The Assessing Risks, Needs and Strengths (or ARNS) tool is being tested by a small group of practitioners across four probation regions currently, to support its ongoing design and development. Elements of ARNS will begin to roll out nationally from March 2026, with further capabilities being released over time.
wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_840
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_840

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, what progress he has made in delivering a dedicated AI communications plan. \p Jake Richards: Transparency of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used is fundamental to earning public trust and ensuring the responsible use of AI. We are making progress against our aim to deliver a dedicated AI Communications Plan, which includes establishing internal and external-facing channels that showcase the department’s ethical use of AI. For the internal workforce, we have established a dedicated ‘AI for All’ hub which provides access to training sessions, webinars, and practical resources to support safe, responsible use of AI tools. Separately, our public-facing online hub at ai.justice.gov.uk serves as a central point of engagement for the public and provides updates on the Ministry of Justice’s ethical use of AI.