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

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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 progress he has made with with the Online Procedure Rule Committee to ensure that AI-enabled digital justice services are (a) coherent, (b) user-centred and (c) legally robust. \p Jake Richards: The Online Procedure Rule Committee is responsible for making rules governing the practice and procedure for specific types of online court and tribunal proceedings across the Civil, Family and Tribunal jurisdictions. These rules will ensure that those court and tribunal digital services are coherent, user-centred and legally robust.

The Committee published a consultation on 11 July 2025 on its draft Inclusion Framework and Pre Action Model. This sought views on a wide variety of subjects including how to ensure digital justice services that aren’t provided by government, including those that use generative artificial intelligence, are delivered in a safe, transparent and accountable way across the Civil, Family and Tribunal jurisdictions.

The consultation closed on 19 September 2025, and the committee plans to set out next steps in early 2026.
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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 assessment he has made of the adequacy of the early results of the AI rollout. \p Jake Richards: We have received positive qualitative feedback from staff who have used general purpose productivity tools rolled out to the Ministry of Justice workforce. Staff have cited that these tools have helped them draft documents and summarise information at pace, freeing up time for higher-value work.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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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 estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of funding for (a) talent, (b) training and (c) proactive workforce planning to accelerate AI adoption. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice has not made a specific cost estimate for funding talent, training, or proactive workforce planning to accelerate AI adoption.

In establishing the Justice AI Unit, we are focused on delivering value for money by building internal capability and reducing reliance on external consultancies. This includes the launch of the Justice AI Fellowship to attract top digital and AI specialists, the Justice AI Academy to develop graduate skills, and the AI Talent Accelerator to upskill existing staff. These initiatives form part of the Department’s wider workforce and digital capability programmes, funded within existing departmental resources.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of the embedding of AI in the criminal justice system on the personalised rehabilitation of offenders. \p Jake Richards: AI shows great potential to help deliver swifter, fairer, and more accessible justice for all and this includes improving rehabilitation outcomes. The Ministry of Justice’s AI Action Plan for Justice sets out our ambition to target high-value use cases, which includes enabling personalised education and rehabilitation (e.g. tailored training for our workforce and offenders).
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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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of using AI to improve scheduling on prison capacity. \p Jake Richards: AI tools can quickly create the best schedules by analysing real-time data about staff, capacity, risks, and priorities. We are exploring how this could help with managing prison capacity and other scheduling challenges such as listing in courts and tribunals.
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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, if he will list the secure AI productivity tools he will introduce in order to reduce the administrative burden in his Department. \p Jake Richards: All Ministry of Justice staff now have access to a secure version of Microsoft Copilot Chat (a secure, web-based assistant for general queries), with further rollout of Microsoft Copilot 365 (the fully integrated AI capability within Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams) planned.

The Ministry of Justice has also been piloting ChatGPT Enterprise from OpenAI.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's policy policy entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2025, if he will list the other government departments that will form the cross-departmental AI Steering Group. \p Jake Richards: The AI Steering Group brings together senior leaders from across the Ministry of Justice, including policy, data, digital, security, people, legal, HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS), HMCTS, risk, and communications, to oversee AI initiatives and manage risks. It does not have representation from other government departments. The Ministry of Justice regularly engages with other Departments on AI, including the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology, and attends various cross Government forums to discuss AI matters.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the policy paper entitled AI action plan for justice, published on 31 July 2024, what the timetable is for the establishment of a dedicated Justice AI Unit. \p Jake Richards: The Justice AI Unit was established in November 2024.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to take steps to prevent the closure of The Clink Restaurant in HMP Brixton. \p Jake Richards: We value the Clink’s longstanding partnership with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.

The current contract at HMP Brixton will terminate on 30 September 2026, and in line with public procurement regulations a tendering process for the new contract is now in progress. Recommissioning this service provides an opportunity to update the specification that reflects the changing needs of the prison population at Brixton since the original contract was agreed over a decade ago.

As the incumbent supplier, the Clink has direct experience of operating this service and will be able to draw on this in its bid to operate the new contract. It is important that all government opportunities are subject to fair and open competition to ensure value for money.

The specification for the new contract continues to require delivery of independently accredited training, with a defined programme of learning that prepares prisoners for work after release. Prisoners will be able to acquire accredited and non-accredited qualifications that are relevant to the current needs of the labour market.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons in the North West the expanded pilot for the use of medication to manage problematic sexual arousal for sex offenders will operate in; what criteria he will use to select those prisons; and how many offenders will participate. \p Jake Richards: As the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 16 September, the innovative feasibility pilot of Medication to Manage Problematic Sexual Arousal for sex offenders will be expanded to two new regions – the North West and North East of England. This will extend the service across to twenty prisons in three regions, up from the current four in the South West pilot.

Work is underway to establish these pilot services, which will include utilising learnings from the South West, to inform the appropriate prisons to begin the rollout in the North West. This will be based on relevant factors such as prison population composition and existing treatment pathways in place. This will allow us to expand the number of offenders eligible to receive this intervention, subject to clinical need, and determine which specific prisons will be part of the rollout.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving sentences for (a) violent and (b) sexual offences have been transferred to open prisons in the last five years. \p Jake Richards: The relevant data for this PQ has been attached alongside the answer.

Prisoners are required to pass thorough risk assessments to become eligible for a move into open conditions, and we retain the ability to return prisoners to closed conditions if there is any evidence of an increased risk.

Under the Temporary Presumptive Recategorisation Scheme (TPRS), which aims to improve efficiency across the prison estate, prisoners convicted of all sexual and violent offenders serving a sentence of at least four years are ineligible to move to open conditions.

Table_78556 (xlsx, 23.3KB)
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has any plans to review (a) policies on the transfer of prisoners to open prisons and (b) the eligibility criteria for prisoners to be moved to open prisons. \p Jake Richards: There are no current plans to revise the policy on transfer of prisoners to open prisons, or the eligibility criteria. As with all prison categories, this matter is kept under continuous review. Changes may be made, as necessary, to adapt the capacity of the prison estate to changes in the composition of the custodial population.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Sir Alec Shelbrooke:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the support available to victims of child sexual exploitation when court proceedings are paused due to the victim's mental health needs. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) roles, including children's ISVAs (CHISVAs), are intended provide information about the criminal justice process to the victim, including what to expect at each stage.

Statutory guidance published in May 2025, under section 16 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 and related regulations, aims to improve the consistency of support delivered by these roles. The guidance outlines that both ISVAs and CHISVAs can provide emotional and practical support to children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse. This support can continue while court proceedings are paused.

When the victim is able to re-engage in the court proceedings, the offered support can include sitting with or near the victim in the courtroom (if the courtroom layout allows) or any other place where the victim takes part, unless there is good reason for the judge/magistrate to refuse.

Pre-recorded cross-examination is also available so that children can avoid the stress of giving evidence in a live trial setting, which many find traumatic.

In addition, the Ministry of Justice provides grant funding to over 60 specialist support organisations in England and Wales through the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF). Organisations in receipt of RASASF funding deliver activities that help victims of sexual abuse, including recent and non-recent victims of child sexual abuse, to cope, build resilience, and move forward with their lives. This is complimented by specific support for child victims of sexual exploitation offered by the Home Office through their Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse fund.
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John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 74400 on Juries: Childcare, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the amount jurors can claim for childcare to ensure that it remains in line with those costs. \p Sarah Sackman: Jurors can claim allowances to help cover additional costs arising from jury service, including the full additional cost of childcare within the overall daily financial loss allowance cap. Informal childcare can also be reimbursed at a set hourly rate, subject to the same allowance cap. Jurors can apply for a deferral or excusal based on childcare issues. These allowances are kept under review to ensure support remains appropriate and accessible. At present, there are no plans to increase the juror childcare allowance rate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of court delays on local authorities carrying out enforcement of unauthorised encampments on Council property. \p Sarah Sackman: Enforcement action against unauthorised encampments is treated as urgent business by the courts, and subject to any local capacity constraints, courts will issue proceedings and set a hearing date for the next available date.

Work is ongoing to make improvements in the County Court, to deliver a more efficient, timely and digitised service. We are increasing resources, including through targeted judicial recruitment, and introducing new digital systems - such as a new end-to-end digital possession service for all possession claims in England and Wales – to drive efficiencies. Local Authorities will be able to use the new digital possession service for enforcement action against unauthorised encampments on Council property when fully rolled out.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take to help tackle misinformation in relation to cases which are sub judice. \p Sarah Sackman: Rules and restrictions on what can be said during ongoing court proceedings are vital to ensure that trials are fair and justice is delivered. However, the Government recognises that social media is putting these long-established rules under strain especially in cases where partial or inaccurate information appears online. The Law Commission are considering these issues as part of their review of the law on contempt of court. We have asked them to expedite those elements of the review relating to our ability to counter misinformation and advise on any changes needed to address the challenges this raises. The Commission are due to report later this year.
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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure civil court judgments related to consumer fraud are effectively (a) satisfied and (b) enforced; and what steps he is taking to ensure perpetrators cannot continue with such behaviour. \p Sarah Sackman: The civil courts offer several methods for creditors to enforce civil judgment debts, including warrants or writs of control, attachment of earnings orders, third party debt orders and charging orders. These processes are designed to address different financial circumstances and aim to make it as difficult as possible for judgment debtors to avoid their responsibilities. Individuals are encouraged to engage legal experts to consider the best option for their individual circumstances.

Victims of fraud are encouraged to report fraudulent activity and cybercrime to Action Fraud which is the UK’s national reporting centre run by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau by of the City of London Police (national policing lead for economic crime).
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to legal aid in rural areas. \p Sarah Sackman: People in England and Wales should be able to access legal aid services regardless of where they live, provided they meet the relevant eligibility criteria. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services across the country to ensure coverage in rural areas. It monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where possible, to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid.

In the recent consultation on immigration and housing legal aid fees, the Ministry of Justice gathered evidence on ways to improve providers’ ability to provide advice remotely and flexibly across all categories of civil legal aid, while maintaining effective arrangements for clients who need face to face advice. Greater use of remote video technology can enable people to access a wide range of specialist advice wherever they are in the country. In addition, legal advice for education, discrimination, housing and debt issues is always available through the Civil Legal Advice telephone service, wherever you are in England and Wales.

Moreover, individuals facing the loss of their home can access early legal advice in respect of housing, debt and welfare benefit issues on a remote basis under the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service (HLPAS).

As part of the £24 million increase for criminal solicitors implemented in 2024, the Ministry of Justice is paying for travel time for solicitors who work or commute to work in a small number of scheme areas with fewer than two legal aid providers, as well as the Isle of Wight.

The Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency continue to work closely with Citizens Advice on legal aid and legal support. Citizen Advice holds contracts across a number of civil legal aid categories, including housing and debt and HLPAS, and is represented at the Legal Aid Agency Civil Contracts Consultative Group (CCCG), where issues such as provision and capacity are discussed. I recently met with its Chief Executive who also sits on the Legal Support Strategy Delivery Group which is comprised of key stakeholders from the advice sector. This group is working with the Ministry of Justice to develop and implement a long-term programme of work to improve the legal support system across the country, making it more effective, efficient and sustainable.
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Mr Joshua Reynolds:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to introduce (a) long service (i) awards and (ii) medals and (b) additional forms of formal recognition to support the (A) retention and (B) morale of magistrates. \p Sarah Sackman: Magistrates are already recognised for their service through initiatives such as long service certificates, nominations for UK National Honours, and invitations to Royal Garden Parties. Ministers are actively considering options to further recognise the invaluable contribution of magistrates to our criminal justice system.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to support young offenders identified as SEND. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice does not currently hold the requested data on the number of young offenders identified as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). However, in 2023 the Ministry of Justice introduced a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) which measures the proportion of children with identified SEND and whether they have a formal support plan in place. KPI data is intended to be published by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) after complete collection of 2025/26 data and ensuring quality standards are met.

The Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education jointly hold a linked dataset - the MoJ DfE share - which may provide helpful context: Education, children's social care and offending. This analysis examines a cohort of children who were cautioned or sentenced for an offence between the ages of 10 and 17, comparing their education and social care characteristics, including whether they had ever been identified as having Special Educational Needs, with those of the wider pupil population.

The Ministry of Justice recognises the importance of SEND within the youth justice system and is committed to ensuring that children with SEND receive the right support to meet their individual needs and reduce reoffending.

Last year, this Government invested over £100 million for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) to deliver multi-agency support for young people, including those with SEND, who have offended or are at risk of offending. This included extending the Turnaround early intervention programme until March 2026. Turnaround supports children on the cusp of the justice system, via bespoke interventions including social and emotional support and mentoring. In the first year of delivery, to December 2023, 27% (2,214) of children who proceeded to a Turnaround assessment had a formally recognised SEND.

Moreover, the Ministry of Justice has funded training for youth solicitors, through the Youth Justice Legal Centre, to help them identify and respond to children’s individual needs, including communication difficulties. The Department also funds intermediaries to facilitate effective communication with children who have specialist communication needs in court.

To support inclusion, Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) have Neurodiversity Support Managers, and public-run YOIs have qualified Special Educational Needs Coordinators and psychologists to meet the needs of children.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to review the sentencing guidelines for animal abuse. \p Jake Richards: Sentencing guidelines are developed and reviewed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, in fulfilment of its statutory duty to do so.

In July 2023, the Council issued guidelines on animal cruelty, which provide the Court with guidance on factors that should be considered, which may affect the sentence given. They set out different levels of sentence based on the harm caused and how culpable the offender is. This is available on its website at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/crown-court/item/animal-cruelty/.

Whilst the Government has no current plans to ask the Council to consider reviewing the animal cruelty guidelines, it is open to individuals to approach the Council to ask that it does so.
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Dr Lauren Sullivan:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help ensure that magistrates’ courts hand down proportionate sentences for environmental crime. \p Jake Richards: Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts. Parliament has provided the courts with a broad range of sentencing powers to deal effectively and appropriately with offenders, including discharges, fines, community sentences, suspended sentences, and custodial sentences.

When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the full circumstances of the case to ensure that sentencing is proportionate to the offence committed, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors. The courts also have a statutory duty to follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, unless in the interests of justice not to do so.

The Sentencing Council has issued definitive guidelines covering environmental offences, both for offenders that are individuals and organisations, which can be found online: https://sentencingcouncil.org.uk/.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many children were victims of sexual assault excluding statutory rape by other children in each year between 2015 and 2025 by (a) age and (b) gender. \p Jake Richards: The information requested on the number of children prosecuted for the offences listed (all forms of violent assault, battery, actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, murder and sexual assault offences) by age and gender, can be found at: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: December 2024 - GOV.UK.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the number of children arrested and charged as this is a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. However, some information on arrests and charges can be found within the Crime Outcomes in England and Wales produced by the Home Office.

Data centrally held does not include the number of children who were victims of crimes committed by other children, beyond information included in the offence type, nor how many children were murdered by other children, beyond infanticide. Whilst this information may be held in court records, examining individual records would incur disproportionate costs.
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Louise Haigh:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department holds data on the number of offenders sentenced to more than four years’ custody for sexual offences against children, broken down by whether the victim was (a) their own child and (b) another child in each year since 2017. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on sentences for sexual offences, including average custodial sentence lengths, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK

It is not possible to identify those who have a parental responsibility status. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how the (a) proposed earned progression model and (b) consequential increase in tagging will operate for people released from prison without suitable accommodation. \p Jake Richards: The Sentencing Bill will introduce a new earned progression model which will see offenders enter a period of intensive supervision once they are released from custody. We are providing probation with wider powers to ensure they can continue to effectively manage offenders in the community with the level of supervision tailored according to their risk and the type of crime they committed.

Alongside the progression model, we will also introduce a presumption that prison leavers will be electronically monitored to ensure they are closely monitored in the community. This will result in thousands more offenders tagged, to manage risk and increase protection for victims. The Probation Service will, however, retain the ability to exercise its professional judgement to ensure that only those who are suitable receive a tag based on an individual’s risk and circumstances including accommodation status.

HMPPS delivers a transitional accommodation service, known as Community Accommodation Service – Tier 3 (CAS-3) which supports prison leavers who are at risk of being released from prison homeless and will be subject to probation supervision upon release by providing up to 12 weeks of temporary accommodation. We are expanding our community accommodation service to support prison leavers at risk of homelessness while additionally we are increasing the probation annual budget to expand our community accommodation service for those at risk of homelessness, as well as tagging and monitoring tens of thousands more offenders in the community.
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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that prison-based treatment and rehabilitation services are adequately resourced for the provisions of the Sentencing Bill. \p Jake Richards: We know that continued engagement with treatment is vital to addressing the underlying causes of offending. That is why we want to divert offenders with a substance misuse need away from custody and into community treatment where appropriate. For those where a prison sentence is appropriate, we need to make prison a place that reforms offenders and supports them to recover from substance misuse.

The Ministry of Justice works closely with NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to ensure that all offenders who need it have access to high-quality alcohol and substance misuse treatment. Responsibility for commissioning and delivery of substance misuse treatment in the community lies with Local Authorities, and NHS England is responsible for treatment in custody. While decisions about future funding positions are ongoing, they are considering the needs of offenders. This is demonstrated by DHSC’s existing, targeted investment to support those referred by the criminal justice system, including funding 575 drug and alcohol workers with criminal justice specialisms who work closely with prisons, probation and in courts as well as the police to improve access to and quality of treatment. The National Partnership Agreement sets out the basis of a shared understanding of, and commitment to, the way in which the partners will work together.

The Ministry of Justice’s overall Impact Assessment was published with the Sentencing Bill and noted that more offenders can be expected to be diverted from short custodial sentences to suspended sentence orders. This will likely result in more people in the community who would have otherwise required treatment in prison needing support. We are also extending drug testing powers through the Sentencing Bill, meaning any offender on licence can be tested. This may lead to an increase in treatment referrals.

The Impact Assessment sets out that delivering treatment in prison is often more costly than delivering it in the community. By diverting someone from prison, we are not increasing the number of people who need treatment but are changing the setting in which they receive it. We are working closely with DHSC on the impacts and will be engaging with the sector.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to increase the number of prison officers recruited from overseas. \p Jake Richards: His Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) does not actively recruit foreign nationals from overseas.

HMPPS publishes vacancies across formal UK advertising boards and welcomes applications from people wishing to work in prisons in England and Wales. The hiring process is the same for both UK and non-UK nationals. Selection is on the basis of fair and open competition, in accordance with the legal requirement set out in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles.

The Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) govern eligibility for employment in the Civil Service on the grounds of nationality. All applicants applying to work in the Department must meet the CSNRs and other eligibility criterion published in job adverts.

The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has provided guidance to (a) family court judges and (b) Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service officers on recognising and responding to psychological manipulation and coercive control in cases of parental alienation. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Government does not recognise the concept of “parental alienation” syndrome and does not believe it is capable of diagnosis.

The family court is governed by the Family Procedure Rules (FPR) and associated Practice Directions. FPR 1.1 outlines the overall objective of these rules and makes clear that their purpose is to enable the court to ensure (amongst other things) that cases are dealt with “expeditiously and fairly” and that the “parties are on an equal footing” throughout proceedings.

The Government is enhancing transparency in family court proceedings to provide greater accountability, de-mystify legal processes and increase public confidence in the family justice system. Officials have worked with the judiciary to roll out new provisions relating to Transparency Orders, now applicable to all children’s cases in England and Wales. They provide a clear framework for reporting where a journalist or legal blogger has attended a family court hearing to ensure the identities of children and families involved remain protected.

The Family Justice Council published guidance on “responding to a child’s unexplained reluctance, resistance or refusal to spend time with a parent and allegations of alienating behaviour” in 2024. The guidance was endorsed by the President of the Family Division and makes clear that where there are findings of domestic abuse the victim cannot be found to have alienated the child from the other parent. Where an appropriate and justified reason cannot be found for a child’s rejection of the other parent the guidance provides a clear framework for assessing whether alienating behaviours are present.

Cafcass practitioners receive mandatory training on alienating behaviours. Cafcass’ training programme includes training on the domestic abuse practice policy (introduced in 2024) and on indicators of understanding why a child does not want to spend family time with a parent guide. This training makes it clear that the first step in assessing the reasons for a child not wanting to see a parent is to consider whether domestic abuse is a factor and to explore the pattern of behaviours through a trauma-informed lens.

The Government has not undertaken an analysis of the prevalence of “parental alienation” instances in the family court.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_869

Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service section 7 reports recommend shared care; and what training is given to officers of that service on (a) parental alienation and (b) equal parenting. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Cafcass does not record data on the proportion of section 7 reports that recommend shared care. This information is not recorded centrally, and the data would only be available from individual case file review at a disproportionate cost.

The Government does not recognise the concept of “parental alienation” syndrome and does not think it is capable of diagnosis. Cafcass practitioners receive mandatory training on alienating behaviours. Cafcass’ training programme includes training on the domestic abuse practice policy (introduced in 2024) and on indicators of understanding why a child does not want to spend family time with a parent guide. This training makes it clear that the first step in assessing the reasons for a child not wanting to see a parent is to consider whether domestic abuse is a factor and to explore the pattern of behaviours through a trauma-informed lens.

Cafcass’ Practice Quality Standards prioritise the safety of the child and require practitioners to assess the risks to children and the risk of future harm. They require practitioners to make certain that their recommendations regarding with whom the child spends time or lives with flow directly from a detailed assessment and analysis of the nature of any risks to the child posed by one or both parents.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_870

Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time is for first hearings in private family law cases. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The average waiting time for first hearings in private family law cases is nine weeks, as at Q2 2025 (April to June 2025). This is an improvement of one week when compared to the end of Q1 2025 (January to March 2025) and a two-week reduction when compared to 2022.

Only cases with a recorded proceeded hearing are included in the calculation (receipt to hearing). 'Proceeded' cases are those where the hearing was not vacated, and the case had not closed before the hearing was due.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_871

Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of Child Arrangement Orders were (a) shared care and (b) sole residency since 2019. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The requested information is not recorded centrally. The relevant data could only be obtained by an analysis of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

The welfare of the child is paramount in any decision regarding child arrangements. In determining the child’s welfare needs, the court will apply the factors set out in the ‘welfare checklist’ in the Children Act 1989. These include the ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child concerned, the impact on the child of any change in circumstances, and how capable each parent is of meeting the child’s needs. The court will also consider any harm the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering, which could include any harm from witnessing domestic abuse.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_872

James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to prevent parental alienation. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Government does not recognise the concept of “parental alienation” syndrome and does not think it is capable of diagnosis.

When proceedings involve allegations of this nature, the family court has processes to follow. Case law is clear that the court’s focus should be on identifying particular behaviour that is found to have taken place and the impact that behaviour may have had on the relationship with the child, rather than seeking to apply the label of “parental alienation”.

In December 2024 the Family Justice Council published guidance on “responding to a child’s unexplained reluctance, resistance or refusal to spend time with a parent and allegations of alienating behaviour”. The guidance is clear that where domestic abuse is found the victim cannot be found to have “alienated” the child. It provides a comprehensive overview of the reasons a child may reject a parent, including harmful parenting, and provides a clear framework for assessing whether alienating behaviours are present. Where alienating behaviours are found the guidance provides clear next steps.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_873

James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help protect victims of predatory marriages. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Government takes the issue of predatory marriage very seriously. Causing a person who lacks mental capacity to enter into a marriage is a criminal offence of forced marriage under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. In cases involving some vulnerable adults who lack the capacity to consent, coercion or pressure is not required for a marriage to be considered forced. The offence of forcing someone into a marriage carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment. Where it is suspected that a person is not entering into a marriage of their own free will or lacks the mental capacity to understand the nature of the marriage contract and to consent to it, proceedings will be stopped or deferred until the registrar is satisfied that the individual has the capacity to make an informed decision to marry.

The Government is giving careful consideration to recommendations for the reform of the law of wills following a report by the Law Commission published in May. This included measures that would help prevent predatory marriage, such as repealing the law that marriage has the effect of revoking an existing will.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_874

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the levels of (a) protection and (b) support for male victims of (i) domestic violence, (ii) harassment and (iii) intimidation through the criminal justice system. \p Alex Davies-Jones: We recognise that men and boys experience crimes associated with domestic abuse, such as stalking, harassment, and sexual violence. That is why we are committed to ensuring male victims and survivors get the support they need. We are working tirelessly across government to deliver the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy as soon as possible, which will set out commitments for all victims, including for men and boys who are victims of abuse.

We know male victims may face different barriers to accessing support. This Government funds specialist services for victims of these crimes, including services for male victims, such as Respect, Galop, SignHealth, Hourglass, and Mankind UK. This includes the Men’s Advice Line, run by Respect, which offers vital support to male victims of domestic abuse.

Alongside this, we have committed to a range of measures which apply to all victims of sexual crimes and domestic abuse, regardless of gender. These include piloting the domestic abuse protection order (DAPOs), exploring options for fast-tracking rape cases, and working to introduce independent legal advocates for adult rape victims. Special measures, such as screens and live links, are also available to help vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses to give their best evidence at court.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_875

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support his Department provides to bereaved families awaiting coroner's inquests. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Government is committed to supporting an inquest process which is swift as possible and puts the bereaved at the heart of the process. We recognise the impact of delays on bereaved families and wider systems. However, as coroner services are locally funded and administered, operational issues are the responsibility of the relevant local authority.

We will continue to work closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners to reform and deliver a framework for the future development of coroner services across the 74 coroner areas in England and Wales. This work will also take into account the implications of the recently introduced Public Office (Accountability) Bill for the delivery of coroner services and the experience of the bereaved at inquest.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_876

Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of delays in the probate system; and what steps are being taken to reduce waiting times for bereaved families to obtain probate in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. \p Alex Davies-Jones: HM Courts & Tribunals Service has invested in more staff, alongside system and process improvements to reduce and maintain lower processing times during the last year.

The Ministry of Justice publishes regular data on probate timeliness in our regular quarterly family court statistics bulletin: Family Court Statistics Quarterly - GOV.UK
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-20 conversation_877

Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help ensure that children are safeguarded in cases where allegations of parental abuse have been made but no formal legal restrictions are yet in place. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The welfare of children is the paramount concern in family proceedings.

Established multi-agency safeguarding arrangements are in place to ensure that children are protected swiftly and effectively in both public and private family proceedings. Where needed, there are clear referral routes for communicating cases to Local Authorities. These procedures ensure that concerns about the immediate welfare of children are identified and escalated promptly with the appropriate agencies.

This government is delivering a package of reform to the family courts to ensure that children continue to be safeguarded and supported. This includes the expansion of the Pathfinder programme, which promotes child safeguarding through early multi-agency collaboration, expert domestic abuse support, and greater emphasis on the voice of the child.