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1715222

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prison Officers: Body Searches
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of prison officers who are searched upon entry to prison by an x-ray body scanner.
	tabling member constituency	Preseli Pembrokeshire
	tabling member printed	Stephen Crabb
	uin	24432
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>HM Prison and Probation Service does not currently have legal permission to use X-ray body scanners on staff working in prisons. As such, no prison officers are searched by an X-ray body scanner upon entry to prison.</p><p>All persons may be searched on entry to or within prisons, including prison staff. Arrangements for staff searching are set out in a prisons Local Security Strategy.</p><p>The vast majority of staff are hardworking and dedicated. A minority of staff engage in corrupt activity which is often as a result of conditioning and manipulation by prisoners.</p><p>Through the Government’s £100 million Security Investment Programme (SIP) we have bolstered prison security, such as physical measures to stop illicit items from entering prisons. These include extending X-ray body scanners to all closed male prisons, and installing Enhanced Gate Security at 42 high risk sites with archway metal detectors and the regular use of sniffer dogs. We have also since installed X-ray baggage scanners at 49 establishments. Additionally, through SIP investment, we have introduced mobile phone blocking and detection capabilities. We have also expanded HMPPS’ Counter Corruption Unit to effectively support the resilience of our hardworking prison officers to coercion by criminals. Furthermore, we have enhanced our partnership working through the development of a Multi-Agency Response to Serious Organised Crime.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 10/05/2024 08:59:18 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	1554 label Biography information for Stephen Crabb

1715310

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Fires
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison cell fires there were, broken down by institution, in each year since 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
	tabling member printed	Dame Siobhain McDonagh
	uin	24357
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>The attached table shows the number of fire incidents in each prison in each year since 2016. Information about fire incidents before 2016 is not available, because the records, which were held locally, have been destroyed in line with our retention policy. In 2016, a new centralised national system for recording fire incidents was introduced across the prison estate.</p><p>The overwhelming majority of the cell fires in prisons are classified as small and are quickly dealt with by staff. All prisons have an Arson Reduction Strategy which includes measures for managing prisoners who are known to present a risk of fire setting: these measures include strategic cell location, and control of access to ignition sources and combustible materials. In 2024-25, H M Prison &amp; Probation Service will introduce an ignition-free Safer Vape Pen to replace the existing product, which is the source of approximately 80 per cent of fires set.</p><p>All operational staff receive training in responding to fire incidents, including the use of specialist safety and firefighting equipment. Where it is found that a fire is the result of arson, or recklessness, the prisoner responsible will face robust punitive action, which can include further criminal charges.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 10/05/2024 08:46:05 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar attachment 1 file name 2024-05-13 PQ 24357 table.docx title PQ_24357_table
	tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh

1715321

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Community Orders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have taken part in his Department's Intensive Supervision Courts pilot.
	tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
	tabling member printed	Dame Siobhain McDonagh
	uin	24368
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>In June 2023, we launched three Intensive Supervision Courts to divert offenders away from short custodial sentences and tackle the root causes of their offending, two at Liverpool and Teesside Crown Courts for offenders with substance misuse needs, and one focused on female offenders at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. As of March 2024, 84 offenders have engaged with the Intensive Supervision Court pilot. These pilot sites are legislated to sentence for 18 months and are subject to a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation programme.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 10/05/2024 08:47:04 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh

1715328

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Reoffenders: Community Orders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders who received a community sentence in each of the last five years had previously received (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five or more community sentences.
	tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
	tabling member printed	Dame Siobhain McDonagh
	uin	24375
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>In many cases – particularly for lower-level offending – there is persuasive evidence that sentences served in the community, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending and rehabilitation in certain circumstances.</p><p>The Department’s statistics show that 55% of those released from prison after serving a custodial sentence of less than twelve months were convicted for a proven offence in the following 12 months. This compares to 32% of those serving a sentence in the community (community order or suspended sentence order): <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proven-reoffending-statistics" target="_blank">Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>The information requested is provided in the table attached. The information supplied has been sourced from a retrieval from the Police National Computer database.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 10/05/2024 08:51:23 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar attachment 1 file name 2024-05-13 PQ 24375 table.xlsx title PQ_24375_table
	tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh

1715329

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Reoffenders: Community Orders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders breached the terms of their community order in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Mitcham and Morden
	tabling member printed	Dame Siobhain McDonagh
	uin	24376
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>We are investing £155 million in funding each year into the Service and recruited over 4000 new probation officers since reunification of the Probation Service in 2021 to deliver better and more consistent supervision of offenders in the community.</p><p>Delivering public protection and cutting crime is not just about custody. There is persuasive evidence that suspended and community sentences are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending and promoting rehabilitation. These sentences can include a range of robust requirements to punish the offender, protect the public and deliver rehabilitation. Electronic monitoring of curfews, exclusion zones, attendance at appointments, location monitoring and alcohol bans are all available requirements which the courts can use. To make sure that offenders are visibly and publicly making reparations for their crimes, courts can impose up to 300 hours of unpaid work.</p><p>Any breach of these requirements could see them returned to court and face immediate custody.</p><p>Please note that where there is a significant risk of harm to an individual or where the offender has breached an order of the court, the courts will retain full discretion to impose a sentence of immediate custody.</p><p>Please see attachment for the information requested.</p><p><strong>Data sources and quality</strong></p><p>The figures in this table have been drawn from the Delius case management system which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: Offender Mangement Statistics Quarterly Bulletin: October to December 2023</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 10/05/2024 08:56:17 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar attachment 1 file name 2024-05-13 PQ 24376 table.xlsx title PQ_24376_table
	tabling member	193 label Biography information for Dame Siobhain McDonagh

1714732

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Community Orders
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community service.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
	uin	24133
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>There is persuasive evidence indicating that community sentences in general can be more effective for reducing reoffending than custodial sentences. The Department’s latest published reoffending statistics (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proven-reoffending-statistics" target="_blank">Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>) show that 55% of those released from prison after serving a custodial sentence of less than twelve months were convicted for a proven offence in the following 12 months. This compares to 32% of those serving a court order (community sentence or suspended sentence order) or 24% of those serving a suspended sentence with requirements served in the community.</p><p>Community Payback completed over 4.7 million hours in 2023 undertaking work to improve communities, the environment and supporting charities. In 2023, Rapid Deployment pilots tackling anti-social behaviour hot spots has seen 8,809 hours of community payback completed and 509 different people involved and given its success this initiative is being rolled out to areas in all Probation regions.</p><p>A process evaluation by the Ministry of Justice of Unpaid Work commenced in 2022 to assess what works in the delivery of Unpaid Work. An impact and economic evaluation comparing the effectiveness of Unpaid Work to other punitive sentences in reducing reoffending will report in March 2025.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 09/05/2024 13:25:26 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1714166

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Drugs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of (a) drug use and (b) synthetic drug use in prisons.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	23903
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>The latest information on random mandatory drug testing in prisons can be found in the HMPPS Annual Digest here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmpps-annual-digest-april-2022-to-march-2023" target="_blank">HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a>.</p><p>All prisons have a zero-tolerance approach to drugs, and we are highly aware of the threat synthetic substances present. In response, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) continue to develop capabilities to drug test prisoners who are suspected to have used, or are at risk of using, these dangerous substances. In addition, all prisons have been provided with access to forensic testing of items seized or found within the estate.</p><p>Our £100 million Security Investment Programme, aimed at reducing crime in prisons, including reducing the conveyance of illicit items such as drugs, was completed in March 2022. This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. Under this programme, all public sector sites have also been provided with next-generation drug trace detection machines. This technology enables prisons to detect attempts to convey drugs into prisons. The equipment is effective in identifying drugs that have been soaked onto letters, clothing and other items.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 08/05/2024 14:04:58 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1714167

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Drugs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has piloted a harm reduction approach to drug use in prisons.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	23904
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice works closely with NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that all prisoners who need it have access to high-quality substance misuse treatment.</p><p>This includes:</p><ul><li>increasing the number of Incentivised Substance-Free Living Units from 25 in summer 2022 to 80 now. Incentivised Substance-Free Living Units are prison wings providing a dedicated, supportive environment for prisoners who want to live drug-free in prison. They provide additional support to prisoners struggling with addiction to engage with treatment, using regular drug testing alongside incentives to ensure prisoners stay drug free;</li><li>recruiting up to 50 Drug Strategy Leads in key prisons which will ensure prisons are recovery focused, bringing together health and security-focused activity. This builds on the £100 million already invested from our Security Investment Programme which aims to reduce crime in prisons and the conveyance of illicit substances;</li><li>rolling out nasal naloxone to prison staff, which is the lifesaving medication to reverse an opiate overdose.</li></ul> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 08/05/2024 14:05:54 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1714169

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Offenders: Bail
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance is available to courts on the impact of bailing people to live at their home address.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	23905
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>The Adult Court Bench Book provides guidance for magistrates who sit in the adult court dealing mainly with defendants aged 18 or over. The Bench Book covers bail and remand and indicates the considerations that must be taken on whether to bail or remand a defendant. If a bail application is made, the magistrates must satisfy themselves that they have been provided with all the relevant information to decide whether to bail or not, including that of accommodation.</p><p>The rollout of the Bail Information Service, which has received £53 million of funding until 2028, means that dedicated Bail Information Officers will provide courts with bail information reports which contain relevant and factual information to enable the court to reach an informed yet independent decision on whether bail should be granted to a defendant. This will include any recommendations on the suitability of their accommodation or whether alternatives need to be considered.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 08/05/2024 14:06:40 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1714171

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2024
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Offenders: Bail
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to ensure that perpetrators of violent crimes who live close to their victims are not bailed to their home address.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	23906
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>The decision to remand an individual in custody or to grant bail is solely a matter for the independent judiciary acting in accordance with the law. The Ministry of Justice therefore cannot intervene in any decision made by the court. The procedures for considering bail and custodial remand are set out in the Bail Act 1976. The Bail Act 1976 sets out the statutory rules which govern the making of judicial decisions on whether to grant bail or remand in custody. The Act creates the presumption in favour of bail for all defendants involved in criminal proceedings.</p><p>The courts have the power to impose a broad range of robust bail conditions as part of a bail package. This includes electronically monitored exclusion zones and curfews. Courts will ensure that they have all information concerning the possible imposition of conditions such as suitable accommodation and proximity to victims, before they make a decision on final bail conditions. The rollout of the Bail Information Service, which has received £53 million of funding until 2028, means that dedicated Bail Information Officers will provide courts with bail information reports which contain relevant and factual information to enable the court to reach an informed yet independent decision on whether bail should be granted to a defendant. This will include any recommendations on the suitability of their accommodation or whether alternatives need to be considered.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 08/05/2024 14:07:40 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell